Durc
by PeterLion
Summary: This is the story of Durc of Broud's Clan Of the Cave Bear, from the time of his mother's departure to his reaching adulthood.
1. Chapter 1: Wandering

___Hi, I wrote this story several years ago and posted it at The Auel Board.  
__As of lately, some cyber-friends told me about this site and suggested that I also posted it here.  
__I really hope you like it. _

___PeterLion._

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MAP:**_

_There is a map for this story but I've found it impossible for me to post a Link to it here._

_A link to the map can be found in my **Profile**__.  
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**Broud's Clan: Hearth Listings**

Broud (22) - Leader (Wooly Rhinoceros totem)  
Oga (18) - Broud's mate  
Brac (8) - Oga's first son  
Grev (5) - Oga's second son

Vorn (14) - Aga's son, Broud´s second in command  
Uba (9) - Medicine woman, Iza's daughter  
Durc (4) - Uba's adoptive son, Ayla's son, Grev's milk brother (Gray Wolf totem)

Goov (21) - Mog-ur (Arouchs totem/Ursus totem)  
Ovra (19) - Goov's mate, childless (Beaver totem)

Brun (34) - Former leader (Bison totem)  
Ebra (32) - Brun's mate, Broud's mother

Grod (30) - Brun's second in command, son of the mate of Zoug (Brown Bear totem)  
Uka (28) - Ebra's sister, Ovra's mother  
Zoug (44) - Second in command to the leader before Brun, Grod's mother's mate

Droog (32) - Toolmaker, mated to Goov's mother before Aga  
Aga (25) - Droog's second mate, Vorn and Ona's mother  
Groob (7) - Aga's son born to Droog's hearth  
Aba (36) - Aga's mother

Crug (23)  
Ika (21) - Crug's mate, Borg's mother  
Igra (7) - Ika's daughter  
Dorv (2) - Ika's son

Borg (10) - Ika's son (Boar totem)  
Ona (10) - Aga's daughter (Owl totem)

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**Chapter One: Wandering**

It was late in the afternoon, late in the season, late in his life. There was not a trace of snow yet but winter was almost about to begin and the freezing wind was blowing so hard that he could not see his way, although his eyesight had never been good to begin with. His lungs ached with every breath, he was tired, he was alone, and he was thirsty. Most of all, he was thirsty.

These were not familiar grounds either, the flat steppes were giving way to a hillside landscape and the grass was being replaced by thornbushes and small trees. The hard packed dirt floor was slowly being replaced by a more rocky terrain, it was more difficult to keep the pace, and he was thirsty.

Not having had a sip of water in two days, not having eaten in that time either, hunger was not so much a pain as thirst, but he kept going. He was angry, he snorted, coughed, and felt the taste of his own blood in the mouth, the smell of his own blood in the ground in front of him; he felt old, sick, and oddly enough, afraid. He was not used to be afraid, or to be tired, or to be thirsty.

The smell of water filled his nostrils, the sound of water running in the small creek by his side filled his ears, but he didn't dare to stop. He could not stop. He would not stop.

He knew they wouldn't let him... He wouldn't let him.

Damm wolves!!!

The light was fading, not that it mattered, but it seemed that they weren't going to eat today. Not yet but... maybe tonight, surely tomorrow. The big gray wolf looked at his pack running along with him, he knew he was the biggest wolf there was, the most powerful, the most cunning, the strongest and the wisest. That was why he was the leader of the pack. He picked up the pace, it was about time that he took the lead of the chase and rushed towards the old woolly rhinoceros they had been following for two days now. It would be dangerous but it had to be done. He knew he could not make the kill yet but he knew it could be done. He had done it only once when he was the lowest ranking hunter of the pack but he remembered perfectly how it was done. His prey could not be allowed to eat, to drink or to rest, and it looked like it was going to try. He howled and ran ahead closing the distance in no time, all of his hunters ran along growling and barking, threatening to bite their prey's hind legs and making it increase its speed. Watching always for his deadly horn, not forgetting the two of them left behind dead or dying when the chase began, the wolves let the old rhino run ahead. The leader stopped for a little water and several of his hunters did the same, but they were on their way in no time; the rest of the pack would not stop for water until he and the ones with him did catch up. He could almost taste his prey now and it felt good. He never thought of his pack, when hunting, as anything else as an extension of his own body. It was like having fifteen mouths, fifteen noses, thirty lungs and sixty legs with only one brain. His. Of course he never knew of numbers, not in that sense, but he was nonetheless proud of his pack. There was some sense of loss, he knew there should be a couple more of them, but he had dismissed the thought two days ago when they had stopped breathing. It was harsh but it was the way of nature. He must care for the living, and food was scarce. He wouldn't normally go after a rhino, but the pack needed meat, there were no other animals in sight and that one looked old enough to be worth a try. The hunt would be long, the meat would not be tender, but there was no other choice. Luckily this season's puppies, despite not being able to hunt yet, were old enough to run behind the pack.

He stopped. There were a few drops of blood in the ground and he smelled it. He knew what they meant, he remembered. They would be eating before sunrise.

The small band of hunters was climbing up the hill in the mild darkness of the dawn. There were four of them, they were tired and not used to hunt at night, and they were also not used to their current hunt leader and were upset. They were not used to go hunting to the hills, and they were not used to their spiritual guide to take charge in a hunt. They did not like change, they did not like things being unusual, and everything was being very unusual these days. Goov knew exactly what was happening, he could see the feelings of all the men, he had grown old and wise these last few weeks and he knew he was doing the right thing.

-Vorn! – Called Goov. The second-in-command turned around and gestured,

-Yes Goov! What does the Mog-ur have to say?

Goov would have smiled if he could, at the confusing familiarity and formality of Vorn using his name and his title in the same answer, but he did not know how. The only one that smiled in his clan was an odd deformed child who was still a mystery to him. Now was not the time for philosophic meditations anyway

- Mog-ur would say we are high enough to see as far away as we can travel in a hunt when the sun rises. The men should all rest now.

Vorn didn't answer and simply sat in the ground, all the men followed suit. Vorn was worried that he had sided last night with their Mog-ur against the wishes of his leader. It was true that Broud had not openly opposed the Mog-ur, Vorn wouldn't dare to disobey him if he had, but he knew Broud since childhood and he knew he did not like the Mog-ur telling them what to do to hunt. It was in fact a way of telling him that he was not a capable leader, something even Vorn was beginning to believe possible. Only Broud's fear for the Spirits and the spirit world had prevented him to tell Goov to mind his own business, but he had made it clear that he would not go. Vorn knew it was a clue to what he was expected to do, but the situation was desperate. The winter was almost here and they still had not found a cave that was acceptable to their totem spirits. The last one had been a wonderful spacious cave, but they could not claim it, the hunt could not have gone worse. Spirits! What did they want of them? And now Uba was pregnant again.

Goov stood up looking down at the steppes. There was not enough light to see anything yet, so he waited. It had been his idea to climb the hills at night to be able to see far away at sunrise in order to find animals to hunt. Too many times the hunters had gone into the plains, only to come back empty handed. They could not keep wasting their efforts blindly, they needed to be methodical, and he knew Broud was not capable of doing that. If only Brun gave them the benefit of his wisdom, but the former leader was making it a matter of pride, he wanted to be asked and Broud wouldn't ask. He had meditated long time, many times. He felt Brun was betraying his clan, but then realized it was not Brun's clan anymore, it was Broud´s clan now; but it was also his clan, Goov's clan, and he was responsible too. Somebody had to do something soon, and he was the only one who could. He closed his hand hard around his amulet and sent a silent prayer to his totem, Mog-ur's totem, he didn't ask anything but he knew it was more than just this hunt. Much more. He knew the Great Ursus would know.

The wind was blowing so hard that he could hear it like a scream calling him from far... far away. From the spirit world. The traveling tent shacked and trembled like if it was going to fly away at any moment now, and he could not sleep. The moonlight flashed now and then through cracks in the tent and he knew they were looking at him, they were coming for him, and they would take him with them to the spirit world. He sat up, his heart pounding, a knot in the pit of his stomach, breathing hard.

Durc looked around and saw nothing; it was too dark, only flashes of moonlight that pierced through the darkness of the tent. They were coming and no one would help him, no one could. Mama would chase them away with her sling, they would never dare to come close if she were there, but she was no more, she walked the spirit word now. Mog-ur! Mog-ur would chase the evil spirits away, but Mog-ur was out hunting. Why did he go hunting at night? You cannot hunt at night. Vorn! Vorn would protect him for he was the man of the hearth... but Vorn wasn't there either, he was out hunting too. Only Uba was with him at the hearth, but she could do nothing, she was only a woman, she was not Mog-ur, she was not a hunter... she was not Mama.

Then he heard him howl.

- Mammmaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

Uba woke up to the screaming child, grabbed him and hugged him tightly to her breast. Broud did not like the noisy son of her late sister and he would cuff her for his misbehavior, especially now that Vorn was not there. It wouldn't matter that she was a Medicine Woman of the highest status, born to Iza's line and mated to his second-in-command. She listened carefully and heard nothing but the wind. It was good that the wind was so loud, and that Broud had been so angry last night and stayed awake so late. Then she heard the wolves in the distance, and felt the terrified child shaking in her arms, almost out of control.

- Calm down Durc! - She gestured to the frightened child - You don't want to wake-up Broud, Do you?

- It is my totem Uba! He is coming for me! Don't you hear him? He is coming! He is just outside the tent, and He is coming for me!

Uba could barely see what the boy was saying, it was almost dawn but still too dark inside the tent, and Durc was trembling so hard that his gestures hardly made any sense at all.

- That is a wolf, Durc. That is not a spirit. And he is very far away. The Gray Wolf is your Totem, but it does not mean that a real living wolf will come for you. This woman knows nothing of spirits, but I know that much. You can ask Mog-ur when he comes back; he will explain it to you.

- The Cave Lion was Mama's Totem and he went for her when she was a little girl. And He marked her. Mama said that is how The Mog-ur knew which was her Totem and that He wanted her to be Clan. Uba, I don't want to be marked by my totem!

- That is not going to happen Durc. The wolves will not come near our camp. Brun is here, and also is Grod. Besides I am sure they will not want to come anywhere near to wake up Broud, Don't you think? He could send them to do women's tasks like bring water... or wood...

Durc smiled at the thought of Broud ordering the wolves around. He wouldn't want to make Broud angry, even if he were a wild wolf. He was more relaxed now and Uba hugged him back to sleep. But she would not fall asleep again, watching the strange looking child that she loved so much, resting with his eyes closed and a smile in his face inside her sleeping furs, she thought how much he remembered her of her much more strange sister. She was the only other one who smiled at a happy thought, she also was always talking too much, thinking too much, and had a restless imagination. She also used to have nightmares. She missed her so much...

Then she heard the wolves again... and shivered.

The wind had stopped, the sky was clear and the full moon was starting to come down; soon it would go under the horizon while the sun rose from the opposite direction. But while it happened, her pale light gave the hillsides an otherworldly look and bathed the prairies below with silvery shades of blue. The hunters strained to look into the moonlighted prairie when the blood chilling tones of the wolf song called their attention. There on a hill in the distance, in the opposite direction from where their clan was waiting, the black silhouette of a gray wolf could be seen against the clear night sky, howling farewell to the moon; Then a chorus of several wolf voices joined in, and the beautiful evocative wolf song repeated itself several times for a few minutes, very few but which seemed like hours to the listening men.

Suddenly the sun was rising, the moon and the wolves were nowhere to be seen and the vast immensity of the prairie showed herself to the men. Empty.

Goov refused to give in to the bad luck and kept searching with his hand shadowing his eyes. All four hunters looked around for game to hunt, far away into the steppe and close by the hillside too.

- Vorn, look! – Called Crug. He didn't like following the Mog-ur in a hunt, he didn't like things being out of the ordinary; he would rather address the young and inexperienced second-in-command.

Vorn strained to see what the young but experienced hunter was pointing at. Goov could see trough Crug's feelings like if he was transparent, and understood. Change did not came easy to Clan men and anything unusual resulted very stressful, but he felt above all that; his own status as Mog-ur would never be disputed and it did no harm at all to let Vorn play his pre-ordained role.

Crug's eyes were certainly better trained than Vorn's and Goov's. He was right; there was something at the foot of the hill they were on. Something big, not moving; something dead.

- It is a dead animal – said Goov – A big one. Probably killed by a predator, maybe the wolf pack we just heard.

Clan hunters did not like to steal prey from other predators, much less to scavenge the remains left behind by four legged hunters. So all four men went on looking for live animals to hunt but it was useless, there was none to be seen. Then they began to look at the dead animal at the foot of the hill with second thoughts.

- Maybe we should take a closer look – gestured Droog addressing no one in particular.

Goov looked thoughtfully at the big man who was in turn looking at the carcass downhill. He was the most experienced hunter of the four. He should by all rights be the highest ranked hunter instead of Vorn, but he was not. That seemed however not to bother Droog, Goov thought of him as a quiet and contented man. Since the earthquake that had destroyed their cave, the respected toolmaster had become very quiet indeed spending all of his free time at his hearth playing toolmakers with the son of his mate; he took his place behind the women and children during the march, and among the hunters during the hunts and the daily night ceremonies; but never participated in a conversation or volunteered a thought in a meeting. Not even last night when he had exposed his idea of going out to the hills in the middle of the night, had Droog given his opinion; he had just looked what everyone had to say without so much of a recognition gesture, and then at the end of the meeting, walked to his hearth, taken two spears and walked back to where the Mog-ur stood waiting. Afterwards he had marched with them like he always did but had said nothing at all until then.

Goov thought it strange to see no hyenas or other scavengers, maybe the kill has too recent, maybe there were no scavengers in the vicinity, surely enough the flying scavengers would come with the sun. Vorn looked at Goov who nodded imperceptibly, and started downhill followed by the Mog-ur, Crug and Droog walking in line at a fast pace. The footing was unsafe, some stones slipped and rolled downhill around them and Goov was thinking to tell Vorn to slow-down. He tried to reach the second-in-command with his hand, only to find there was no Vorn. It took a split-second for Goov to realize that Vorn had just disappeared in thin air and to try to stop in his tracks. It was a split-second too late.

Before his brain could grasp what was happening, Goov felt the soil disappear under his feet. Suddenly he was surrounded by darkness, rolling down through a steep path, down, down, deep inside the earth. He tried to concentrate, he should be able to, he was Mog-ur, but the strong smell of damp earth, the darkness, the stones raining on him and the suddenness of the fall didn't help. Then, while still tumbling and falling he had a vision; a huge gray wolf was looking directly at him with its yellow wolf eyes like a man waiting for an answer to an important question he just made, and while he tried to figure out what was the wolf asking for, from behind the wolf the most gigantic cave bear he had ever seen, begun to raise on its hind legs. Ursus looked at Goov in the eyes, or more likely through his eyes into his soul as if trying to find if he was worthy; Goov felt like floating in the air and then, to his shocked surprise, Ursus made a sharp single gesture.

Cave!

- Goov!

- Vorn!

Goov wanted to ask Vorn if he was hurt but it would be useless, they couldn't see each other. He was hurt but didn't know how bad, the sensation of floating in the air had been painfully real for he had free-fallen two, maybe three times his own height and landed heavily on his left side on a hard-packed dirt soil. His arm and his ribs ached, and the bunch of stones and small rocks that had accompanied his fall rained on him causing some additional minor injuries. Goov sat up and examined himself carefully, his left arm and ribs were much bruised but nothing seemed to be broken; he moved his head, legs and arms... all fine, and he couldn't feel any major bleed on himself either. Looking around, it did not seem so dark anymore; as his eyes began to get used to the darkness he could see the dark shadow that was Vorn, no more than two arm lengths from him. He moved towards the young man reaching with his hand.

Vorn was really scared; first the fall, then the pain and the darkness. He reached around him searching for his spear, found it grabbed it and stood up holding strongly to the comforting feel of his familiar weapon, all his body ached but he ignored it, as a man of the clan he was raised to ignore pain; seeing nothing in the dark, turned around and called. Goov's response told him where his fellow clan man was and Vorn turned to him, forcing his eyes, trying to see in the dark, he felt the pull in his spear.

- Vorn!

He could see the outline of the young magician in front of him, for his eyes were adjusting to the darkness.

- Where are we Goov? - He signaled - Is this the spirit world?

Goov couldn't see clearly what Vorn was saying, but being a Holy Man involved the ability to read the emotions through the external actions and postures of the people. He knew without seeing that the young second-in-command was really scared. He needed him to calm down. Coming very close to the frightened hunter, Goov looked at him in the eyes and said,

- Well Vorn, it looks like you have found us a cave; Broud will be very pleased with you.

And while the young hunter began to calm down, and to dream anticipating the praise from his leader in front of all the clan, Goov went on bringing him back to earth.

- Now all we have to do is find the way out.

The two young men examined the surroundings; some light could be seen coming from above, probably the way they had came down, but something could also be seen to one side and slightly up. It was not exactly light, but more like some piece of rock wall... or floor... dimly illuminated. They walked carefully in that direction, Vorn leading, feeling the way with his spear, into a passage wide enough for two men to walk side by side but not much wider. The passage went up towards the illuminated part, which now they could see was a piece of rocky floor some twenty or thirty paces away, although only Mog-ur knew the counting words to measure the distance that way. They were climbing but it was a shallow climb, maybe one full man's height in the whole distance, and the roof could not be seen in the dark, so Goov kept his right hand raised high while his left rested on Vorn's shoulder. Nearing the end, the roof opened to a dense thornbush that covered and hid the entrance, and also blocked the sunlight.

The cave opened to a small terrace in the hillside and the narrow downward passage that led to it reminded them more of a den than a cave, but it had a smoke hole (their first and accidental way in) and therefore deserved a closer inspection to see if it was big enough for the whole clan.

- Droog! Crug! - Called Vorn.

The two hunters were some distance up-hill looking into the hole that had swallowed their second-in-command and their Mog-ur, not knowing what to do. Seeing Vorn, they raised their hands and climbed down at a fast pace.

- Cave! - Gestured Vorn visibly excited - Crug! Torches! - Ordered.

The lowest ranked hunter of the group hurried around finding the required materials and, with the help of Droog, soon had several torches ready and also a small fireplace built with dead branches and tinder. Vorn, who had with him the living coal wrapped in moss as was his duty as second-in-command, lighted the fire and then lighted the torches.

- Is it all right for us to go in? - Asked Vorn - Shouldn't we call Broud? Broud is the leader.

- We have already been in Vorn - said Goov - And I wouldn't like to have Broud come all the way here only to find the cave was not good. It would be best, though, if Droog and Crug didn't come in; so the spirits won't be disturbed. They won't mind if you went in since they showed the cave to you - It never hurt to stress Vorn's own importance – And, being Mog-ur, I must come in too.

- You are right Goov; the cave was shown to me first. Droog, Crug, watch the fire.

He didn't say that they might need to take a new coal from it. He thought it would be bad luck to name the possibility that the cave didn't meet their requirements.

The two men entered the cave for a second time that day. Vorn didn't know what to look for, but Goov was taking mental note of the cave. The entrance was narrow and went downwards into the hillside; that was not good for the cave would flood in a heavy rain. Halfway down the entrance passage he noted the rock walls to one side were wet, and a small thread of water run along that wall towards the cave, Goov tasted the water, it was good and fresh water year-round inside the cave was an advantage. At the end of the entrance passage a wide cave of roughly circular shape with a high domed ceiling opened to the eyes of the two men, the small spring of water kept to the side of the left wall and the floor of the cave which was leveled for most of the cave, dropped about the height of a man's knee just two paces before the border of the small water current; that should do for excess water in spring and early summer thought Goov adding that bit to the list of advantages. Halfway up the middle of the right wall, light came in through the smoke hole. The cave was big enough for a clan twice their size.

Vorn looked at Goov for a few moments, said nothing, and started to go back; but the magician added a restraint.

- Let's see where the water goes.

Vorn wasn't happy with the idea but didn't argue and both men followed the water that went into a narrow passage near the opposite of the entrance. The passage was more like a wide triangular crack in the wall that went all the way to the high roof. It was very short and opened to another circular cave almost as big as the first, only more than half of this one was occupied by a water pond that covered it from its centerline to the surrounding walls to the left like a half moon. The men walked around the walls to the right looking for more passages but there were none. On their way out Goov stepped on something soft and dry that crushed under his foot. He lowered his torch to see. It was old, dried, wolf spoor.

The memory of his vision during the fall came to him. He had no doubts now. Rising as high as he could, and using the solemn awe-inspiring manner of Mog-urs Goov spoke to Vorn.

- A Cave has been found. It is time to call Broud.

The Clan woke-up early. The women busied themselves tending to the fires, which had been banked for the night, going to the nearby creek for water and preparing the morning food that included rich broths made of dried meat and stored fat, cooked vegetables and herbal teas. Breakfast was an important meal when traveling because the clan spent lots of energy during the long march. If the men were not gone hunting, the women would be breaking camp immediately after eating, but that was not the case that day.

Uba looked around the camp trying to be inconspicuous, but as Medicine Woman she had developed the custom of constantly observe the members of her clan, ready to spot the tiniest indication that the stress of traveling and the exposure to the elements without the protection of a cave, were affecting the health of any of them. It felt strange to wake up without Vorn; she used to massage the stress out of his hard muscles every night and prepared a special tea for him every morning. As his mate, she knew firsthand how heavily the responsibility of being second-in-command weighed on him; specially being Broud's second-in-command. He was too young and inexperienced and he knew it, although he would rather die than show his misgivings. But he was a good mate and a considerate man, he even was nice to Durc in the privacy of the hearth, and Uba had slowly grown very fond of him. Durc was still sleeping but it was about time for Uba to wake him up; breakfast was almost ready

Broud was in a very bad mood. He was seated in front of his traveling tent eating alone, Brac and Grev had been fed very early and sent to help Ika to entertain Groob, and Oga was seated in the ground eating, but at the same time observing her mate ready to attend his every need. He didn't like being alone in a camp full of women, children and old men. Children and women were a nuisance, and old men disapproved almost everything he did; they wouldn't dare to say anything but their eyes made evident what they thought of him. It had been a mistake not going with the hunters; it had been a mistake letting them go at all. Who had ever heard of going hunting at night? Why did he not oppose Goov? He knew very well why; Goov had become a nuisance, but he feared Mog-ur. Having to wait at the camp put him in a very bad mood.

Brun was sharing breakfast and a fire with Grod, their mates were siblings and Grod had been his second-in-command when he was leader, now they were friends and spent most of their time together. Ebra and Uka also liked to be together, and even if each of them cared for her mate, sharing the chores made them less hard and the two siblings really enjoyed their time together. When Brun had stepped down from leadership, Ebra had felt the change in her status and had found in Uka the friend she needed; slowly both women had been regaining the closeness of their childhood.

Having finished eating, Brun stood up and Grod did likewise. Both men went to their traveling tents and took their weapons. A spear and his bola Brun, a spear and a sling Grod; then Brun went to where Broud was, followed by Grod.

- I will go hunting for small game - Said Brun without preamble as soon as Broud looked at him - If the leader does not object.

Broud didn't bother to answer; he couldn't stand the amusement in Brun's eyes but was too angry to think in a reason to object. Brun took Broud's non-committal grunt as an approval, turned his back to the leader and left. Without having said a word Grod turned and left after his friend. Broud's irritation grew at the blatant disrespect both men showed to him but did not know what to do, Brun had been meticulously polite. He stood up and gestured to no one in particular

- I will go hunting too!

Broud took his weapons turned around and saw his camp, full of women and children looking at him with fear, and realized he could not go leaving them unprotected.

- Zoug! - The old hunter didn't move and only turned his head to look at him - You protect the camp! I will go hunting!

Zoug made a grunt, which only meant that he had heard, and turned his head back to the soup he was drinking. At his age he could take his time eating and he had always disliked the young leader. The boy had never shown any respect for him and the old man considered he would never be half a good leader as Brun or the leader before Brun had been. How could he be so irresponsible as to leave his clan to the only protection of an almost blind old man? If it had been Brun who entrusted him with that responsibility, he would feel proud of the confidence the leader showed on him, but Zoug wouldn't see Broud in the same light.

Brun and Grod left the camp together. Broud left the opposite way.

Without making it evident Brun had missed nothing, and made a mental note to stay close around the camp. Years of worrying for the well being of his clan did not wash out easily, and he felt responsible for not having trained Broud properly.

Brun and Grod walked uphill from the camp, each one submerged in his own thoughts, after a short time of walking Brun gestured,

- Grod, did you hear the wolves?

- Yes Brun.

- Let's look carefully for tracks and any other sign of wolves being nearby. A hungry wolf could try to go after one of the children.

Grod only nodded.

- We should climb this hill to find out what we can see from the top. It is not far and we could look at the camp from there.

Grod said nothing but followed him up hill. Brun was used to his laconic friend; he could tell him more without a gesture than a whole bunch of arguing Mog-urs. The vegetation was mainly short trees and dense bushes. Neither the high grass of the steppes where they usually hunted, nor the big trees of the mountainside woods. The animals they could find there were the smaller ones; rabbits, hares, maybe a giant jerboa, or if they were lucky even a small deer. The predators they were to be wary of were also small; foxes, wolves, maybe a lynx, at worst a small leopard, but that was unlikely. The two men climbed with the stealthy movements of the experienced hunters, making no noises, trying not to announce their presence to their potential prey.

Suddenly Grod, who was almost side by side with Brun at that moment, crossed his spear in front of his friend touching him very slightly in the chest. Both men stopped and stayed completely motionless, Grod pointed with the spear to a dense bush ahead and both hunters strained to see or hear what had caught his attention. Soft shuffling and grunting noises came from the bush, and some branches trembled slightly. Then so suddenly that it almost surprised them a fat, nearly grown wild boar came off the bush and stared at the men. It was a young male, his lower canines not yet fully developed but none the less dangerous. Too far away for a spear, too big for a sling, too fat to let go without trying; Brun hurled his bola almost without thinking while Grod jumped towards the wild pig raising his spear. But the young animal was too fast.

As soon as the bola left Brun's hands and before Grod had started to move, the boar turned around and ran back the way he had come. An instant later the bola hit the dense vegetation just where the animal had been and disappeared into it. Running as fast as he could Grod jumped into the bush after his prey closely followed by Brun. Not paying attention to dry wiry branches lashing at his face Grod concentrated in a dark blur of movement just in front of him and with a powerful thrust sinked his spear into the wild boar right in the heart, killing it at once. Brun was beside him the next instant.

- You got it!

- No - said Grod - You did.

Brun looked at the dead wild pig; his bola was tightly wrapped in its hind legs.

Both men were breathing heavily, happy but extenuated. They were not so young anymore, but the excitement of the hunt made them feel as if they were. With a sharp knife Brun cut the throat of the boar so the blood did not cake inside, spoiling the meat; then with some leather tongs he always carried when hunting tied the animal's front legs together; Grod did the same with the hind legs and then using Grod's spear to hung their prey, both men lifted it on their shoulders and turned to go down back to the camp. They had just started to walk when Grod raised his free arm pointing to the horizon.

- Brun, look!

Far away, in the general direction of their camp looking from where they were, a man was coming. Running alone as fast as he could, heading to the camp.

- It is Crug and he is alone! Something serious must have happened.

Broud had left the camp walking down the mountain creek at which side they had set camp. He was very angry, everything was turning out wrong and he couldn't point out why. They had been traveling for weeks and had not found a suitable cave yet. What is worse, he had found two good ones but could not claim any of them because the first hunt after each finding had not been successful. The first had been Goov's fault; they hadn't found anything to hunt yet when Goov had said the time was over and ordered to turn back. What did Goov know about hunting? Despite being younger he had hunted more than twice times Goov had, he knew it was only a matter of time and a little more searching. But Mog-ur said the spirits would not allow more time. And he feared the anger of the spirits.

The second one had been Droog's fault, the deer had outrun the old man and two of the hunters had sprained their ankles trying to recover their prey. He knew Grod had been making comments laying the blame on him, saying that he had signaled too soon and that he had not taken into account the ground full of holes, but he couldn't do nothing because Grod had said it only to Brun in the privacy of his hearth and he was not supposed to be looking what they were talking. Damm gossiping old men!

And the wolves... He had heard them last night. This had to be some pack's territory; that could mean danger for the children. He knew he shouldn't have left the camp with only Zoug as protection, but he just could not stand being there doing nothing; maybe he should not go too far. Broud looked around for tracks or other signals of the wolf pack, maybe he could kill a wolf and give the pelt to Oga, but no signs of wolves were there to be seen, so Broud seated in a rock by the small river to rest, and saw the fish.

There is trout here! Thought Broud, he could see two big ones clearly and some shadows moving fast under the water. Taking his spear approached the river carefully and tried for a big fat trout just in front of him... missing it entirely. His anger rose again, he was about to pull back his spear when he noticed it was broken. Damm luck! He pulled it out anyway and the spear was just fine. Broud looked at it puzzled, trying to understand, and then remembered a conversation he had with another young man at the clan gathering. The man had told him how the Spirit Fish used to trick a hunter's eyes to hide the fish under the water, he had explained in great detail how to overcome the Spirit Fish. Broud had liked that conversation as he always had liked anything to do with hunting; he remembered that conversation very well now. Seating back in the rock Broud took his knife and started to carve notches near the tip of his spear, when he was satisfied with the results went to look for fish again remembering he had to aim higher than the fish was. After some unsuccessful attempts he managed to spear a nice fat one. He took it as a good omen and started back to the camp in a far better mood.

- Broud!... Broud!... Broud!... - It was Zoug and Crug's voices.

Crug? What was doing Crug back so soon and alone? They must have got into some big trouble. That would serve them for listening to their inexperienced Mog-ur instead of to their wise leader. Broud stepped into the camp with his spear up and to the front, so everyone could see the beautiful, delicious, big fish still on it.

- What is all that noise about? - Gestured Broud sternly, but enjoying himself - You look like little girls making so much noise!

- This hunter has something important to report to the leader - said Crug, ashamed of his own emotional display but hating Broud for embarrassing him in front of the women - The second-in-command has found a cave. Mog-ur sent for the leader to inspect it.

A cave! Broud refrained his first impulse to disdain the news. It was too late in the season and they needed to settle soon or they would not have time to store enough meat for the winter. They didn't have enough time already. At least it wasn't Goov who found it.

- Oga! - Shaking his spear while pointing it to the ground, Broud let the fish fall to the ground.

Oga run to his mate and Broud made a sharp gesture without even looking at her, implying she should know what to do. Understanding, Oga took the fish and went to the cooking hearth with it.

- Haven't Brun and Grod returned yet? I never thought it would do any good for two men so old to go wandering around. They had better stayed with the women like Zoug. Now I will have to wait for them before going to see the cave.

Right at that precise moment, Brun and Grod walked into the camp carrying the fat wild boar hanging from the spear.

- Were you asking for me Broud? - Said Brun locking eyes with the son of his mate - You must forgive two very old men for not being so fast walking even with so small a weight to carry. Did you happen to hunt something too?

- Don't be disrespectful to your leader old man! I could have you cursed for that!

Both men kept looking directly at each other's eyes, locked in a battle of willpower. But Brun was still too much for Broud. Trying to save face, without looking away Broud ordered Brun

- Stay at the Camp with the women and don't go anywhere! I am going with Crug to inspect the cave Vorn has found.

Brun gave the tinniest nod, only to let know he had heard, but kept looking at Broud's eyes.

- Crug, come! - Said Broud turning around. Brun looked at him going, he would have smiled if he knew how.

All the women were upset with mixed emotions. The not so veiled confrontation between the past and the current leader made them uneasy, but the prospect of a new cave exited them. Maybe the spirits were not so angry anymore. Maybe they would let them claim this one.

Brun and Grod left the boar to the women and went to rest, both sat together at Brun's fire and Ebra offered them fresh water before going to help the other women with the boar. Oga busied herself with Broud's fish.

The former leader observed the camp of small traveling tents arranged in a shape that resembled the mark of his totem in his right thigh. Each hunter had his own tent that used to sleep with his mate and children, Brun remembered that when he had been looking for a cave, The Mog-ur, his brother, had put a ban on men and women sleeping together so that men could concentrate their energies in the search and in the ceremonies that asked for help from the spirits. Their young Mog-ur had not done so this time; obviously Goov was not nearly as wise as The Mog-ur had been, but Brun suspected it had something to do with Broud not wanting to forgo relieving his needs with Oga every day. Broud was a leader who did not put his clan's interests before his, and Brun felt it was his fault for not having trained him well.

He looked at Durc playing hunters with Grev. The boy was at the end of his weaning year now, next spring he would have to begin training him. That should be Vorn's responsibility, the boy lived at Vorn's hearth, but he had promised the spirit of the boy's mother to look after her son and he intended to keep his promise. He doubted if he could do it right though. Grod grunted at his side.

- Fast! - He obviously had noticed who Brun had been looking at.

- Yes, he will be the fastest hunter one day.

Grod looked at Brun but said nothing; he only moved his head.

- I know - Said Brun - I will take care of Broud in due time. But I will need help; I don't think I can do it alone.

Grod grunted and looked down. He had never liked Ayla, he had never liked Durc, but he understood his old leader. He would help his friend, but only if he was asked.

- Totem?

- Gray wolf - Said Brun thoughtfully. Grod looked at him in the eyes.

- Grod! This is wolves' territory... The new cave... is in wolves' territory! Do you think this is a sign from the spirits?

The big gray wolf was watching from the top of a hill the strange looking animals that were wandering around the carcass of the rhino he had hunted last night. He remembered those animals from his youth, and the memories were not nice at all. Their smell was upsetting; it was a strange unpleasant smell mixed with that of several animals he knew, from small game to big predators, and the smell of death. And fire; there was always the frightening smell of fire around them. He remembered the pack's leader-before-him always avoided those two-legged foul-smelling animals, and the memories of hard flung stones were associated with theirs; but he was curious, and he was upset.

It had nothing to do with the rhino; they had killed it before midnight, and by dawn they were far away and there was no more than a few bones and the skin left, but he didn't like them being around the big cave. Fall was almost gone, it was time to move the pack to their winter hunting grounds, but he would be watching those strange animals; if they were not gone by spring, they would become either prey or competing predators.

Goov and the other two men were examining the remains of the rhino when Broud and Crug arrived. He was not sure about how to understand what had happened there and greeted Broud adding a slight nuance that conveyed the question; Broud was certainly not the best leader but when it came to hunting Goov respected his knowledge. If only he could have more control of his emotions...

Broud looked all of the men in the eyes and then examined the grounds

- Wolves - Said concentrating in the tracks – Big pack...

- About two hands of two men - Confirmed Goov

- No tracks of men - Said Vorn.

All the men looked puzzled at their Mog-ur. Without losing his concentration, Goov made a dismissive gesture implying a higher esoteric knowledge. Vorn shrugged, he had no interest on Mog-ur stuff.

- Strange - Said Droog - Wolves don't hunt rhinos.

Broud was getting impatient with all that talking. He thought it useless to waste time over a dead carcass with no usable meat on it.

- This is wasted time! Vorn! Crug said you had found a cave.

- Take the horn Broud...

- Take it yourself if you want Goov. Vorn! Show me the cave!

- The Wooly Rhinoceros is your totem, Broud. You take the horn and give it to Mog-ur!

Broud felt like if a spear made of ice pierced his chest. He really feared anything that had to do with spirits, but he recovered quickly, that was just Goov after all.

Goov could read the leader's changing emotions as clearly as if he was talking to him. He went on in a less imperative and more convincing tone.

- It is a good omen that our leader's totem is marking the location of the new cave. It will be good luck if you cut the horn yourself before going in.

Broud was more than mollified. Feeling that it was somehow his merit the finding of the new cave, he complied with Mog-ur's request. Taking his knife proceeded to cut off the big horn and gave it to Goov who in turn handed him very ceremoniously a burning torch. Then, with a torch in one hand and a spear ready in the other, followed his second-in-command. Goov followed both of them with a third torch suddenly noticing he had no spear. He didn't remember having found it inside the cave; maybe it was still there.

Broud found the cave acceptable and even hinted that it was better than their old cave. Goov found his spear stuck sideways near the low end of the smoke hole trough which they had came in; a large rock was being held by it, if it wasn't for the spear the rock would have probably killed him. He took it as a good sign, but he would meditate on the meaning of such a strong sign.

- Crug! - Called Broud coming out of the cave - Go back to the clan and tell them to move the camp here! A cave has been found. We go hunting tomorrow.

As soon as the clan had set up camp in front of the new cave, the women disposed of the remains of the dead rhino so that foul odors didn't disturb their camp. Everybody was in high spirits; the women prepared and cooked the boar Brun and Grod had hunted. Oga prepared Broud's trout according to an ancient recipe she found deep in her memories, stuffed with sweet flavored vegetables wrapped in leaves and cooked in hot stones, it was a special treat and everyone had a taste. Goov did not eat at all.

After dinner Broud called a meeting with all the men. It was pay time.

- Tomorrow we go hunting, - he began, – and his time I will lead the hunt – he added looking directly at Goov.

- That is a wise decision - Said Goov surprising him - There are too many signs and I will spend the night in meditation and consultation with the spirits, so I will not be well rested tomorrow. Also if I stay protecting the camp you will be able to take all the hunters, including Brun and Grod.

- If you are going to be too tired to hunt, - said Broud trying to belittle Goov somehow, - you won't be able to protect the camp by yourself either. I will have to leave another hunter to do that.

- Leave Borg, - answered Goov, - he is the least experienced hunter but he is young and strong enough to protect the camp by himself.

All the men nodded affirmatively with relief. Nobody wanted to be left out of the hunt. Even Borg was agreeing, he was too young indeed and the responsibility involved in the Cave Hunt scared him more than a little. Broud felt that the Mog-ur had tricked him somehow, but couldn't think in anything to object. All the men went back to their tents to rest for the next day's hunt; Goov went to the mouth of the cave to meditate alone.

Early in the morning Broud called all his hunters, but when he was about to signal to go, Goov appeared in their midst. He was wearing old Mog-ur's bearskin ceremonial cloak, leaning heavily in his spear as he walked he addressed the leader.

- You will travel north for two days; you will take Oga Ebra Uka and Uba along. In the third day you will find mammoth, but you will not hunt until the fourth day. This is what the great Ursus says.

Broud paled; leaning in the spear as if it was a staff in his right hand, with the gaunt face of having spent the night sleepless, Goov had spoken using the modified one-hand gestures of the great magician he feared so much.

Goov stood there, motionless, watching the designated women prepare hastily to accompany the hunters; when Broud was ready to give the hunting party the signal to march, Goov signaled again to the leader

- Do as Ursus commands; when you find mammoth your totem will tell you what to do. Do not attempt to hunt before listening to your totem; the winter is coming.

Broud was too shocked to respond, despite his fear for the spirits, he had never thought of Goov as Mog-ur. It was more like something that Goov did, not something he was. But now it wasn't Goov standing there, it was Mog-ur. Taking hold of himself Broud signaled and the small party was on its way.

As soon as the hunters disappeared in the distance, Mog-ur turned around and began to walk towards the center of the camp. He looked tired and walked with great effort, his face was ash-gray; suddenly he stopped, turned his head as if looking around and dropped to the ground.

Ovra rushed to his mate followed by Aga and Aba.

- He is breathing - said the older woman - we must move him to his tent. It is too bad Uba is not here - her gesture meaning it couldn't be helped.

- He didn't eat anything yesterday all day - said Ovra - And he didn't have breakfast today either. I cooked all his meals but he first said he was too busy meditating, and then he wouldn't acknowledge me.

Ovra worried about her mate's health but also worried that the other women would think she didn't take well care of his mate's needs, that she was not a good clan woman. Her inability to produce children only made things worse, and Goov had changed a lot these last days; he almost had no time to notice her anymore.

Around noon that day Goov woke up feeling very hungry, ate what Ovra had prepared for him and went back to his furs to think. Since the moment he had decided to call Broud to see the cave, he had been feeling strange. It was as if someone else had taken control of his body and he was only allowed to observe without intervening. He remembered everything, he even remembered deciding what to do and what to say; he just didn't recognize himself. Was that how the spirits worked? Maybe he was just a tool in their hands. He wished Creb were alive to ask him; he missed his mentor now more than ever. He decided more and deeper meditation on the subject was required.

It was the third day. Six small figures, five of them armed with spears, moved slowly, stealthy between the bushes. At a gesture from their leader, all of them dropped to the ground while he spied carefully from behind a small tree the immense bulk of their intended prey, observing patiently, waiting for the right time to signal the attack. The hunters became impatient and one by one stood up again, one of them gestured to the leader.

- Give the signal. It is time now!

- I am the leader! I will say when it is time! - He answered, but his stance betrayed his lack of confidence.

- I have no spear - Complained the youngest of them all.

- Here - Said the tallest - Take these stones and scare off the rest of the pack.

- Ready! - Signaled the leader, annoyed with the lack of concentration of his two younger hunters - Now!

The five hunters jumped ahead screaming and wielding their small spears; the sixth ran around screaming and throwing stones in every direction. Soon the five spears disappeared into the big bush tree that played the part of a mammoth, but the children continued to run around the bush until they were all exhausted.

- I made the first wound! It is my kill! - Claimed Borg.

The mog-ur had asked the young hunter to keep the boys occupied and he had taken them out to play "Hunters". It was not so long ago that he had been one of them and still enjoyed playing just as one more of the children.

- I am the leader! - Said Brac - I give the credit of the kill to Durc, he made it first!

- This is not fair! - Said Groob – Durc is faster because he is deformed and has longer legs! Also we are doing it all wrong! We must make it run first and when it is tired then we kill it.

- But you cannot make a mammoth run - Said Grev – You must kill it as soon as you can.

- You know nothing of hunting! - Said Borg - You are only a nursing baby!

- But Brac knows more than you! - Said Grev - He is going to be the leader and Broud himself is training him. You must do as he says! - Grev was very proud of his big brother - And I am not a nursing baby!

- Enough! - Said Brac - Do you want to argue or do you want to play?

- I want my mother - Said Dorv, and started to go. All that running had made him hungry and all the arguing had made him bored.

Before more of his hunters deserted, Brac took charge of the situation.

- Now we will play hunting Bison! Durc will make the first run, then Grev, Groob and myself; Borg will be the last runner and he will make the kill.

- And when will I make the kill? - Asked Groob

- After bison we hunt deer and you make the kill - Said Brac - Now let's go find bison. Borg: You go searching with Groob!

The two children began to stalk an imaginary herd of massive bison while the other three crouched to the ground waiting. Brac turned to Durc who had said nothing and looked pensive.

- You don't worry Durc, you may be deformed but you will be the fastest runner of all the clans - Said the future leader putting his arm around the tall skinny boy.

Durc nodded but kept looking pensive.

Far away to the north, the six real hunters were observing their prey. They had reached a river with a narrow beach and high banks. A small herd of female mammoths, with a few young ones obviously born the last spring, were starting to climb to the low steppes through a narrow steep cut in the high bank.

Broud was very nervous. He had found the mammoths the third day, just as Mog-ur had said, and that meant the spirits wanted them to hunt the next day. It was a good Omen. But Broud still had no idea how to hunt the gigantic beasts there in the open; he looked at his men and knew they were optimistic, finding mammoth right where and when Mog-ur said they would was such good an Omen that nobody could miss noticing. Now he had the responsibility of the success or failure of the hunt, and everyone knew that; he also knew that they were not so confident in his ability to lead the hunt.

- "Your totem will tell you what to do." - had said the magician – "Do not attempt to hunt before listening to your totem"

What did that mean? Why Mog-urs never spoke clearly?

- "The winter is coming" - Had added Goov.

He did not need to be Mog-ur to understand that one. If this hunt failed, the survival of his clan through the winter without enough food stored would be in peril. Broud looked at his men again.

Brun nodded to Grod, who nodded back. This stupid child was no fit for leadership, but the clan was first and his life-long friend had asked.

- This remembers me of the last clan gathering - Said Grod looking

- Me too - Said Brun - When our dance of the mammoth hunt won.

Broud was annoyed. Gossiping old men! What had that hunt to do with this one? There were no canyons around here to trap a mammoth into one. He clutched his amulet in his right hand, asking his totem for help. How could his totem tell him anything? He did not understand anything about talking to spirits! Damm confuse speaking Mog-urs. Then it came to him. Goov has right again. He had to wait until tomorrow to hunt, but now he knew how to hunt a mammoth!

Brun saw the change in the mood of the son of his mate and nodded at Grod. Grod nodded back satisfied; Brun could be old, he thought, but he was still the best.

Broud called his hunters for a meeting.

- As Mog-ur said, my totem has shown me the way to hunt these mammoths. There is only one way for the mammoths to go from the steppes to the water; we will dig a pit trap in their path. - Said Broud - You all remember the hunt dance of Norg's clan at the last clan gathering, we will hunt mammoth the same way they did to hunt the rhino.

It was dangerous at best, but the hunters were highly motivated. Not that they trusted their leader, but they trusted the Cave Bear spirit who talked through their Mog-ur; more so now that things were happening just as predicted. After waiting for the mammoths to be gone far enough into the prairies, the men began the work of digging the pit. Although the women were usually the ones to dig the pits they used for cooking this time they were not allowed to participate, since hunting was a male-only activity.

By sunset the pit was finished, it was narrow and didn't span more than one-third the width of the passage but it was long enough and very deep. The hard packed almost frozen soil of the riverbank had not been easy to dig, but clan men had strength and will-force unknown to modern men. They covered the hole with dry grass from the steppes laid on a frame made of light driftwood from the river. They also mixed dry mammoth dung with the grass they put over the hole and dispersed more grass and dry dung around the pit trap, up and down the passage so that not even them could see the location of the trap. The dried dung mixed with the grass masked their smell and the smell of fresh exposed soil from the pit. When it came to hunting Broud knew his business, he had been trained by Brun after all and also had a natural skill that came from a long line of great hunters, he could have been the best hunter of the whole Clan were he not so irresponsible and impatient.

They went to rest early to their camp, downwind from the mammoths, and were up at first light. Vorn prepared the moss-wrapped live coal, put it into the hollow aurochs horn and asked Grod to check it. This was too important a hunt and he was too worried to care for status recognition at this point; nevertheless he made sure Broud was distracted on other matters and did not notice him approaching the former second-in-command. All the men carried two torches in their hands and two spears tucked between leather straps at their backs but Brun who carried one spear and his bola. Brun's predilection for his favorite weapon in a hunt where it was going to be useless was taken by the other hunters as a sign of his old age. Broud was about to say something but refrained. This was not time to start an argument with a stubborn old man, too old to be a real help anyway, but his anger slowly began to rise; sometimes Broud seemed to be fueled by anger.

The mammoths were moving slowly towards the river and the men began to take their places around them trying to stay downwind from the herd. I wasn't easy and the wind didn't help since it blew in the same general direction of the river. Coming to the entrance of the narrow passage that led down to the river, the big beasts began to show nervousness, they milled around but no one started down the path. The old matriarch that led the herd began to snort noisily and to scratch the earth with her tusks, far less impressive but far more useful, and dangerous, than that of a male of similar age. Other females got nervous too and began to do the same, sending large quantities of dust up in the air along with the dried grass and mammoth dung the hunters had so carefully spread around the day before.

- Wait Broud, wait... - thought Brun without actually making a gesture or saying a word. The trap was very well made and he knew the mammoths would eventually walk into it.

But Broud was beyond patience. In his mind he saw the entire herd turning slowly around back to the steppes, and the new cave which was their last hope to settle before winter lost like the one before it. Without as much as a glance to consult his men's opinion, he gave the signal to attack.

Vorn, following a pattern of behavior as ancient as their race, obeyed at once. Taking the coal from its container, he lit a small fire he already had prepared and then his two torches. All the men lit their torches and began to run in a big arc around the herd setting fire to the dry grass as they went; then turned towards the gigantic animals yelling and waving their torches. The peaceful vegetarians panicked at once; they feared no predator, not when grouped in a herd, but they were terrified of fire. However, the disturbing smell and strange appearance of the familiar path to the river was not an enticing way out either; the entire herd, led by the old matriarch, started to run upwind alongside the high banks, away from the trap.

Broud saw immediately what was happening; in a heartbeat the entire herd would be lost. Running as fast as he could, he made an almost suicidal dash into the middle of the fleeing giants, Vorn thought it was his duty as second-in-command and followed his leader, both men waving their torches trying to turn at least one animal around. It was useless; the herd was single-minded for that was the behavior that ensured their survival. Fortunately a young mammoth, a baby born that same spring, lacking the experience of years, faced with the fire in front of his nose, turned around trumpeting his panic. His mother, hearing him, doubted for an instant; it was enough. The four remaining hunters, recognizing the moment, ran between the young female and the herd. The young mother turned around and followed his son through the narrow passage down towards the river. Staying dangerously close to her sides and behind her, the clan hunters guided the panicked animal directly into their trap. With a broken foreleg, the big beast fell to the weapons and the intelligence of the otherwise weaker hunters.

Seeing his mother disappear in the ground, smelling the fire and the blood, the baby mammoth ran in circles and then tried to follow the way his herd had gone. Droog saw him and signaled Grod to let it go, they were too tired and the animal was too far away. Grod signaled to Brun

- Big pig!

Brun hurled his bola and threw. He knew immediately that the throw was off-target; the big stones landed to one side of the running animal and bounced in the ground. The next instant the baby mammoth fell to the ground, his forelegs entangled in the leather straps of Brun's weapon. Crug and Droog ran for it, the young animal was not hurt and in a couple heartbeats would be in its way. The bet paid off, the mammoth untangled his legs and stood up facing the two running men, turned around in an instant; an instant too late. Crug's spear went deep in his side causing him to fall again. Droog's spear ended his pain. Two of them!

- Where is Broud! Where is Vorn! - Brun's habit of checking for missing men right after a kill was hard to forget.

Turning around Brun saw the leader of the clan and his second-in-command, his heart almost stopped for a moment. After the tiniest moment he took charge of the situation.

- Crug! Go and get Uba!

Uba knelt beside her mate, her prodigious brain searching for the ancient knowledge stored in it. She had not been in love at their mating, but he had been a model mate and had slowly won her heart. Right now Uba wished Iza or at least Ayla were there to remind her what to do, but she was alone and her mate needed her.

She had found the two men lying on the ground, covered with blood and dust. First she checked her mate, then the leader of her clan, and then turned back to Vorn. Broud was unconscious, had several cuts and scratches, and a mild concussion in his head; but his heart worked just fine, his breathing was fine too and seemed to have no broken bones. Uba sent Crug for water to wake him up. Vorn on the other hand, had his left arm broken and badly cut, probably by a mammoth tusk, some big artery was broken in his arm and he was losing much blood. He had several other injuries, pretty much like Broud; and his ribs were badly bruised although not broken but his head was not harmed. However, he was not breathing well.

Crug arrived with the water and Uba signaled him to throw it at Broud to wake him up, she was too busy with Vorn. Crug didn't move at first, he was not used to a woman ordering him around, but then remembered Ayla doing the same when working on that man who got injured during the bear ceremony at the last clan gathering. Uba was Medicine Woman now and this was the Clan way; Crug threw the water at Broud's face and he woke-up slowly.

- Did we get one?

- We got a female and her son - said Droog

- Who made the kill?

- Droog - said Crug, with the water container still in his hands - and Brun.

- No, - said Brun - Crug made the second kill. I missed the throw

Broud was feeling elated, his whole body ached but he was trained to ignore it. A female and a young one! And Brun missing a throw!

- I certainly made a good plan! - he gestured his mind out - We'll have more than our women can carry!

- Don't you want to know how Vorn is? - asked Brun curtly

- Vorn? What is wrong with Vorn? - Broud looked around

- Woman! Tell me how my second-in-command is!

- This woman's mate has a broken arm - said Uba without looking directly at Broud - and has lost much blood. His left side is also much bruised and has other minor injuries, but this Medicine Woman has stopped the bleeding and with proper treatment and enough rest the hunter will recover. Now, if the leader will allow, this woman would ask for Oga to help setting the broken arm.

Broud grunted his approval and Crug went running to get Oga...

It was the eighth day after the hunting party had left the camp. The women and the children were beginning to feel upset, the hunters had been away longer than they expected although they really didn't know what to expect. Ona had gone out of the camp, supposedly to look for edible roots and plants, but really just to cope with her uneasiness. Borg went along supposedly to protect her, but really because he just liked to look at her. Ona went around collecting leaves, exposing roots with her digging stick, and mostly glancing back now and then at her mate. Borg tried to look as if he was looking for game or looking for any predator posing danger to the working woman, but mostly he was enjoying the sight of his beautiful mate. They had been mated close to a year now, but were still discovering each other. Their society prevented a rich intimate personal relationship and they were still too young to have learned their respective roles. She had always liked him, and her worst fear since she became a woman was to be given to other man if he didn't become a man soon. He on the other hand was a quiet reserved young man who didn't like to talk too much, but had gone as far as to ask Brun for his manhood hunt when he was still too young for it. He wanted to be a man while Brun was still leader, fearing that Broud would want to reserve the most beautiful woman of the clan for the son of his mate. He also feared that his being so emotional about a woman became evident to the other men, for it was not considered a manly behavior. Their fears were obviously unfounded, but they were both too young to notice; they loved each other, which was very rare in their society, but they didn't know how to express it.

- Ona, wait!

She stood motionless looking at the ground while he approached. There was something odd in the surroundings that had called his attention. What he saw after examining the ground filled him with fear.

- Stay quiet - said Borg to his mate - wolf tracks... and wolf spoor... fresh...

They were quite a distance uphill from the camp, and they could see perfectly the camp and the steppes from there; the place was in fact a perfect lookout. Borg searched carefully around feeling very afraid, he didn't thought himself capable of facing a wolf pack alone; Ona felt strangely safe, nothing could happen to her while Borg was around. After a while, without moving from where she stood because his mate had ordered her to say quiet, Ona began to look around too, not with fear but with interest.

- Borg, there! - she called, pointing far away to the steppes below - Tusks! They are carrying tusks!

The young couple, suddenly aware of Ona's gross misconduct when talking to her mate without first asking permission, stared at each other. Borg didn't know what to do, he'd rather die than cuff or reprimand his mate, but Ona was quicker; dropping to the ground in front of the confused man, adopted the respectful posture of a woman requesting permission to talk. Borg tapped her shoulder.

- This unworthy woman was so excited that forgot the proper way to address a man - said Ona looking very unapologetic - I am glad no one was here to witness the shame my bad behavior must cause to my mate.

- Your excitation is understandable woman; - said Borg relieved - I will overlook it this time. Now we go back to the camp; do not run and walk in front where I can see you, there might be wolves around here.

- This woman is so lucky to be mated to such an understanding man and such a brave hunter; this woman has no fear of wolves when her mate is protecting her.

Ona began walking back to the camp followed by Borg who was thinking he was the lucky one. Still the wolves made him nervous and he kept looking all around while following his mate.

At the camp Borg went to inform Mog-ur who was apparently involved in a very serious conversation with old Zoug. Ona went to the women and started an animated conversation on the subject of the coming hunting party. All the children got also caught in the general excitation.

The hunters arrived to the camp late in the afternoon but well before dusk. The four women were very heavily loaded, even Ebra and Uka carried incredibly large loads despite their age; most incredibly, the men were heavily loaded too. Broud, Crug, Droog and Grod were carrying a baby mammoth hanging from its legs, which were tied together in pairs so the men could use their spears to carry it. Brun and Vorn also carried large parts of mammoth legs tied together in pairs and hanging from a spear that the men carried over one shoulder; just as if they were carrying a medium size animal, but the body was missing, leaving only the legs. The women, of course, were carrying most of the body.

When the hunting party began to unload, it became evident that Broud was very bruised, Vorn was very bruised too and had his right arm wrapped in deerskin along with some wooden sticks and tied to his side. It had not been an uneventful hunt but had been a successful one, and the cave was theirs. Everybody was very curious and excited about it, only Broud, Vorn and Goov had actually seen it, and the hole in the ground that supposedly was the entrance looked very unusual. The boys of the clan already referred to it as "the den".

Nobody talked about the hunt, Broud had forbidden it for he wanted to save the story for the hunt-reenactment at the cave ceremony, but everyone was curious about why the men were carrying the food. The women who accompanied the hunters gave the explanation while working with the other women and children in the preparation of the cooking pit for the feast.

After the successful hunt Broud didn't know how to carry all that meat back to the camp and called to a meeting to discuss it with the hunters. Although it was very unusual for Broud to ask for advice, the very fact that he did made the hunters aware of the importance of the meeting and everyone gave his opinions and suggestions. First it was decided that, save for the liver which was eaten raw by the hunters, all the innards would be discarded. Then it was decided that the men would carry the baby mammoth, in the same fashion that they used to bring bison to the old cave; it had been done before and was not against the customs. The women would carry all the meat they could, leaving everything else behind including traveling tents, tools, spare clothing and every utensil they had. The two remaining hunters would be in charge of the protection of the group, one of them taking rotary turns to carry the mammoth and Vorn being able to use a sling despite the objections of the Medicine Woman, which were summarily dismissed. When it became evident that too much meat was going to be lost, Vorn came with the idea of carrying the legs of the female in the same way that the baby mammoth was to be carried, saying that he could carry with his good shoulder. Brun objected saying that this would leave them unprotected against predators, but Vorn insisted and Broud decided that the remains they were leaning behind would attract the predators and the scavengers more than the group of men. Uba objected also, but Vorn said that the meat was more important and that if he damaged his injured arm she could heal it again at the cave. It was a great risk, but the men didn't want to leave more meat than strictly necessary and Broud felt this was an opportunity to contradict the old leader.

Wanting to put distance as much fast as possible to the hunting site, Broud ordered a fast march, traveling every day until it was too dark to see, and then a little more. In the mornings he started as soon as the sky began to announce the sun but even before it could actually be seen. He took a big chance but he was lucky this once. By the time they reached the camp they were completely exhausted; they all had bad cuts in their feet, sore ankles and knees, aching backs and bruised shoulders. But they made it. The low prevailing temperatures due to it being so late in the season also helped to keep the meat from rotting; for everyone it was a sign that the spirits were not angry anymore and that Ursus wanted them to keep this cave.

That night, Broud led the hunt dance and the leader's ability for theatrics, with the help of the special drinks prepared by Goov and Uba for the men and women respectively, made it even more awesome. The boys were the most interested and they could not take their eyes of the performance. When it came to the part when Broud and Vorn had turned the mammoths around, with great risk to their lives, they could almost see the giant beasts thundering by and feel the earth trembling.

Brac was the most interested, for he was going to be the next one to become a hunter; he couldn't help but to feel awed by Broud's fearlessness, but he couldn't help either noticing Brun's look throughout the whole performance. Why was the former leader not so pleased? The hunt had been a success, and Broud was the bravest of all hunters; Brun himself had helped herding the female into the trap and making the baby fall even if he missed the throw. Why was he then not happy? Was it because he had failed with the bola? He knew the old hunter too much to believe that, maybe he would find the way to make Brun tell him, maybe he would ask Brun to explain the whole hunt to him as a way of training. He needed to find out why Broud was so happy and Brun was so not.

Aga and Ika were very interested too. They already knew that their mates had made the kills and were not so happy that Broud had credited the kills to all of the hunters, but they remembered Brun had made the same. Still they were very proud of their mates, and Aga never failed to comment to anyone looking that it was her mate who wounded the giant adult female first. Ika also told Dorv many times how Crug had caught the other mammoth in the run, as if explaining the dance to the boy, but in a way that everybody could see her. Both women were very proud of their mates, and were showing off.

After the ceremony that made the cave their new home, the clan enjoyed the abundant and tender mammoth meat; then when they all had their fill the men retreated to have their private ceremony, the women put the children to sleep and then began their own dance. In the morning they would begin the enormous task of preparing and preserving all the meat and the hides, but no woman had a single thought about work that night. The whole clan celebrated their new home; this was to be their last night sleeping in the open, the next morning Broud and Mog-ur would decide the distribution of the hearths ant they would all move in.


	2. Chapter 2: Growing Up

**Chapter Two: Growing Up**

Goov was sitting on a rock just outside the cave, his head turned right looking north into the distance, he had a medium sized fire going just in front of him and old Zoug was sitting across the fire in front of him. The old hunter didn't care too much for the bunch of youngsters that had taken the leadership of the clan, but tolerated Goov a little more because he was a respectful young man and especially because he was Mog-ur. He had been the second-in-command to the leader before Brun, and Brun was already an old man; nevertheless it felt good to be asked for advice especially when it was Mog-ur who asked. Goov liked to hear the old man, he was the most experienced hunter of this clan and was still very good at finding the right memories for everything he asked. They had been talking about wolves.

- The hunters can't be seen yet, - said Goov turning to Zoug, - probably they won't return today.

- It is not too late yet - Zoug grunted his disagreement.

- Explain me again that about the wolf's nursery, - said Goov pensively.

- Wolves don't usually live in caves, - repeated Zoug, - they like to wander in their territory following the herds.

- But you said that the females gave birth in caves - interrupted Goov.

- No, - said Zoug exasperated, - when her time comes the female abandons the pack and gives birth alone in a small den, not in a big cave. Once the puppies are old enough they join the pack and when the pack hunts they are left in a safe place in charge of a young hunter, usually the least ranked male.

Goov followed with interest, he wanted to understand the estrange signs of the inner cave before claiming it as the place of the spirits.

- And that is what the wolves used the cave for...

- I would say yes, - said Zoug - the tracks and the spoor suggest that. The puppies would be safe there, a single wolf could guard the entrance, they would have enough water and the members of the pack would bring them food in their stomachs.

- In their stomachs?

- Yes, I have watched wolves many times when hunting with the sling, and I have seen them regurgitating the meat for the puppies; and it is not only their mother but also many other members of the pack.

Goov did not doubt the old hunter, he even had a hint of that knowledge in his own memories. He felt more and more convinced every day that there was a strong influence of the wolf spirit in the new cave. He remembered the vision of the wolf spirit when the vision of Ursus had let him know this was the cave. He still had to meditate to understand the full meaning of his vision, but he already knew the wolf spirit lived in this cave. What was going to be the effect of that in the clan? He wished he knew.

Goov signaled Zoug that he wanted to meditate alone, it was late in the afternoon and it was getting too cold for a man of Zoug's age. Zoug retired into the cave and Goov concentrated trying to understand the signs Ursus had given him. The winter was already there, the first light snow alternated with a few slightly warmer days and Broud had been hunting almost every day since they settled in, with variable success. Goov came to a decision, but he would not announce it until the first big snowstorm of the winter forced the clan to remain inside the cave. Standing up to return to the cave Goov looked north once more, there in the distance he could see the hunters returning home; old Zoug had been right again. They appeared to be carrying a small or medium sized animal, maybe a deer. Goov felt a small relief, they were not well stocked yet and unless the next hunts were more successful, very careful management and good luck would be required for the food to last the winter. He did not know it then, but this was to be the last hunt of the season.

The women had worked hard to make the cave habitable. After Broud had distributed the space between the eight hearts, the work of digging cooking and storage pits, arranging the fireplaces, working places and sleeping places and all the necessary work to make the cave comfortable had to be done by the women. The children and the women were already accustomed to the darkness of their new home; for despite the several fires and stone lamps fueled by moss and rendered fat, the long and narrow entrance path and the smoke hole allowed very little natural light inside the cave. The men spent most of the days outside hunting and almost only came into the cave to sleep; they would not begin to know their new home until the winter settled in.

The hearths inside the cave were arranged in a semicircular disposition, following the right wall of the cave starting at the entrance, in the following order.

Guardian Stand : A small space right at the low end of the entrance passage was reserved for a hunter to stand guard protecting the cave. A large fireplace was set so that the smell of fire went out through the entrance discouraging any animal that tried to come in.

First Hearth : Broud (Leader), with his mate Oga and her two sons; Brac and Grev.

Second Hearth : Vorn (Second-in-command) with his mate Uba (Medicine woman) and her adopted son Durc (Mixed boy, half clan – half others).

Third Hearth : Borg (Lowest ranked hunter) with his mate Ona (No children)

Fourth Hearth : Crug, with his mate Ika, her daughter Igra, and her son Dorv.

Fifth Hearth : Droog (Toolmaker), with his mate Aga, her son Groob and her mother's mother Aba.

Empty Space : The big empty space that followed Droog's hearth was centered under the smoke hole, it extended to the central part of the cave and all the way to the small water course at the opposite wall. It was reserved for jobs that required more space than usual, and to be used as a place for winter meetings. A big fireplace was built right under the smoke hole.

Sixth Hearth : Brun (Former leader) with his mate Ebra (No children)

Seventh Hearth : Grod (Former Second-in-command) with his mate Uka and his mother's mate Zoug (Second-in-command to the leader before Brun)

Free Space for new Hearths : a large area beyond Grod's hearth was reserved for new hearths and had no designated use.

General Storage Area : The size of a small hearth, this area was used for storage of dried meat rendered fat, dried vegetables and all other clan's possessions that did not belong to a specific hearth.

Mog-ur's Hearth : Goov (Mog-ur) and his mate Ovra (No children).

Goov had chosen the area at the end of the cave's wall just where the entrance to the second cave was. In fact, the passage fell within Mog-ur's hearth, which went all the way to the subterranean river. After everybody had a chance to inspect it the first day, Goov had forbidden everyone to go into the second cave. He had arranged a small place for his communion with the spirits within his hearth, but usually went outside to meditate. Much to Broud's disgust, Goov had not gone hunting since the cave was found.

That morning, when the clan went out of the cave they found the land entirely covered in snow. This was not the light snow that had been falling on and off the last days, this was "It". The snowstorm had begun around midnight and was still going on in the morning. It would go on snowing almost for a week, although they didn't know it then. Goov went to Broud's hearth and signaled the leader to a private meeting.

- The winter has begun, - said Goov, - I am sure of it because all the signs are here. Tonight we will have a ceremony with all the men to ask the spirits for protection during the cold season.

Broud was not happy about it, but he had been outside and seen the storm; he knew Goov was right.

- Where are you going to hold the meeting? It is too cold outside and there is no privacy here.

- I have made a decision regarding the second cave. After long meditation and consultation with the spirits now I know how they want us to use it. Opposite to the water pool, I will set up a place for the spirits; it will be separated from the rest of the second cave by a screen made by the hunters out of hides and wooden frames. No woman will be allowed to participate in the construction. The rest of the space will be used for ceremonies, and when there are no ceremonies it will be used to train the boys. It is a big space and will allow us to train the boys during the winter.

- You will have to move the boundary stones of your hearth to clear the entrance.

- No, - said Goov, - The entrance to the sacred inner cave will be through Mog-ur's hearth, and only with my permission. Today's ceremony will be the first held there; you will order all the men to eat nothing until after the ceremony; I will tell you when it is time. – And saying that Goov turned around and went straight to his hearth, through it and into the passage to the inner cave.

Broud didn't like to be told what to do or what to say, but he was feeling more and more uncomfortable around Goov every day. The young Mog-ur had aged like years in the few weeks since the cave was found; he looked emaciated, his skin more gray, his beard darker and his eyes looked as if they had become bigger and at the same time sunken deeper into his head. Broud would have been scared of just looking at him if he didn't know that it was just Goov.

But was it "Just Goov"? Broud didn't know what to think anymore. And he didn't like to think too much about Mog-urs and spirits, he didn't like to think too much, period.

Goov stayed in the inner cave long time and then went to his hearth to prepare the drink for the ceremony. It was a sacred drink, the secret of his preparation known only to Mog-urs and acolytes. Goov had prepared it many times for Creb and now prepared it for himself, that made him think that he should choose an acolyte eventually, but he shrugged off the thought; he was not ready for that, not yet. When the drink was ready he signaled Broud and went into the inner cave to wait for the men.

When the men had all gone into the sacred cave, Ovra walked to Vorn's hearth and to Uba.

- This woman would talk to the Medicine woman.

- What do you want Ovra? - said Uba – You don't look sick, but you look very worried.

Uba liked the childless woman; she felt sorry for her but admired the way she faced her inability to produce children. She had lost a child herself and wondered what would she do if she were like Ovra; she knew she was pregnant again but was too scared to tell anybody, she hadn't even told her mate.

- This woman is worried for Mog-ur, - said Ovra, unaware of Uba's own worries - he almost doesn't eat, and he doesn't sleep at all. He lies on the sleeping furs without moving but I can tell he is awake. He also looks like if he is not here, doesn't acknowledge me when I want to speak with him and I have to call his name to get his attention. He looks awful like a spirit, - Ovra looked down ashamed - and he doesn't relieve his needs with me anymore.

- You say he almost doesn't eat, - said Uba, - but he does eat something. Doesn't he? How much is he actually eating?

- He takes a piece of dried meat in the morning and chews it slowly, and that is usually all for the day. He drinks a little water too, but mostly he takes the sacred drink he makes himself and goes to meditate; then prepares more and goes to meditate again – Ovra would be crying if she had tears – all day... Every day!

Uba had grown up living in Mog-ur's hearth, and she knew how the sacred drinks could make a man want to go into consultation with the spirits all the time, even a powerful Mog-ur like Creb. In Creb's case there was the advantage that Iza, the Medicine Woman also lived at Mog-ur's hearth and she had a way to force Mog-ur to take care of his own health. Creb respected Iza's opinion, but she was not only the Medicine Woman, she also was his sibling.

Uba was not Goov's sibling nor lived at his hearth, but she was the Medicine Woman of this clan. It was her responsibility to watch for the health of all its members and she knew she was at fault for not having observed Goov's health deterioration.

- Don't worry Ovra, - said Uba to the other woman, - I know it is not easy to live with Mog-ur, but it is a great responsibility to take care of Mog-ur's hearth and very important for the clan. You are a good woman and Mog-ur couldn't have a better mate. It is only that the preoccupations of finding the new cave and settling in weigh too much on him.

- Isn't it Broud who must worry for that? - said Ovra - He is the leader.

- Mog-ur is a leader too - said Uba - only that he is a spiritual leader. That is usually more difficult and more demanding. But as I said you must not worry, I will prepare a tea that you will give him every morning and every noon to make him hungry; I will also talk to him to make sure he takes better care of himself. He is a good man and a good Mog-ur, he will understand.

But while she was mixing the tea to give to Ovra, Uba could not help but to think that Goov was a good man indeed, but not half as good a Mog-ur as Creb had been. She also suspected that Goov would agree with her on that one.

The winter had settled in and the clan spent most of the days without leaving the cave. The men spent most of their time in the central area of the cave, talking about hunting, Zoug was notoriously absent at those meetings and spent most of his time resting at the hearth or visiting Mog-ur; Brun and Grod were frequently absent too. When not talking about hunting, the men occupied themselves in the tasks they liked most.

Droog began to organize his tools and his stock of flint nodules, and spent some time making tools to replace old ones dulled by use. Groob had taken interest in tool-making and asked if he could try, Droog gave him some flint nodules and showed him the basic technique; the natural ability shown by the son of his hearth filled the experienced toolmaster with pride and joy and looked for every opportunity to work the flint with him.

When he was not resting, watching his mate or relieving his needs with her, Borg liked to spend time playing "hunters" with the boys of the clan. Being already a mated man and a hunter, he was not expected to occupy his time watching them which was considered a woman's task; but Borg used the excuse of "training" them although the truth was that he still enjoyed playing with the other boys who just loved to "practice" hunting with a real hunter.

Vorn, Crug, Brun and Grod spent most of their free time making weapons. Vorn and Crug made spears, harpoons, clubs and even slings, since old Zoug was not very active lately. Brun was working in a new bola, and Grod was working in a very special net to fish in the river; it was a device that he remembered from the days of the cave before the last one, and most of the youngsters had never seen one. Since fishing with nets was not considered real hunting, women usually participated and also helped with the construction of the nets; Ebra and Uka spent most of their free time working in the net under Grod's direction.

Broud spent some time training Brac, reminding him of the different animals that were hunted by the clan and the different techniques that were used to hunt them. Broud was an intelligent, fearless hunter who had learned a lot of the different patterns of behavior of most of the animals the clan knew and really enjoyed showing off with the first son of her mate; Brac admired the strength and courage of the leader but disliked his impatience and short temper, he was not sure about the necessity or convenience of such public displays of anger on the part of the leader and still had doubts regarding Brun's lack of enthusiasm the day of the cave feast, but he was still looking for the opportunity to talk to the old leader without incurring in Broud's anger.

Goov spent time trying to organize the herbs roots and other preparations he used for different ceremonies, as well as the different artifacts that were part of the clan's religious iconography, like the old cave bear skull, and several other tokens that held meaningful relationship with the spirit world. He also went outside frequently to watch the night sky and the infinite small fires that filled it; to him they were the hearths of the totem spirits and helped him to know how far into the cold season they were and how much time left of it. The sacred knowledge was very important to the clan because they used it to control the rate of consumption of the stored food, which that year was not as much as they would have liked to feel safe, and to place the proper time for various important ceremonies that had to be held during the winter to appease the spirits that would bring back the spring, and Goov was the only one who could do it. But mostly Mog-ur spent his time meditating, observing all the members of his clan and trying to understand the meaning of all the signs associated to the new cave and how they would affect every one and all of them.

Ovra took care of Mog-ur's necessities, cooked for him and was pleased that he had began to eat more after the Medicine Woman had talked to him, the tea Uba prepared for him seemed to work well, but Mog-ur was still absent most of the time and was not looking much better. She did not understand much of men stuff, much less Mog-ur stuff, but instinctively knew that her mate had many very deep and troublesome worries. She wanted to help him but did not know how; to her he was becoming less Goov and more Mog-ur with every day.

Ona, Ika, Aga and Aba occupied themselves with tending their hearths, looking after the few children and making mats, baskets, furs and hides. Igra, being the only girl of the clan, had the chance to learn from all the women and not only her mother. Uba on the other hand, being the Medicine Woman, not only busied herself with her hearth, her mate and her step-son, but also made a point of observing all the other members of the clan. Her observations would prepare her in advance to fight the various illnesses that came with the winter.

That way she noticed that she was not the only pregnant woman, Aga was pregnant for sure, and Ona was probably too. It had been difficult to tell while wandering in search for a new cave, but she decided to observe if the young woman went into isolation within the next moon cycle. That made her realize she was going to have to tell Vorn of her own pregnancy soon, before it became evident, but she had the feeling that he already knew; it had been so at the time of her first pregnancy and she suspected that Vorn was very observant of her. It felt oddly good and bad at the same time to be cared for and to be controlled at all times by her mate. One other thing she observed was the difference between the two oldest members of the clan; while Aba was still active and helped Ika with the training of Igra, Zoug was spending more and more time sleeping or seating doing nothing. He did not look ill, but it was as if he had grown tired of living; Uba remembered that attitude on Creb before his death and was sure that the old man would have died that very winter if the earthquake hadn't kill him. Something had to be done about Zoug and she was not the one who could do it; she decided a new conversation with Mog-ur was needed, they could possibly do good for each other, still the chances for Zoug to survive the winter were not the best.

One morning Brac decided it was time to talk to Brun. He took his brother Grev along and went looking for Durc and Groob, then all the children walked to Borg's hearth to ask if he could find some time to train them. Borg accepted immediately and Brac put his plan in motion.

- Mog-ur said that the other cave was to be used for training, but nobody has used it yet, - began the future leader, - Why don't you ask Mog-ur and we all go there with you? You can do it, you are a hunter.

Borg didn't like the idea of being the first one to take advantage of that prerogative, he was the least ranked hunter to begin with, and he had to ask Mog-ur permission. Goov was not Creb, but Borg was still too young and feared Mog-ur... a little. He looked around trying to find a way out, without making his fears evident and without upsetting the boy who was going to be the leader one day, and saw Ona looking at him with pride, pride for her mate who was being sought by the future leader to train him.

- Good! - said Borg, trapped, - Everybody take his weapons and follow me to Mog-ur's hearth!

- Can you show us how to use the bola? - said Brac - This time I want to learn the bola.

Borg didn't know how to use the bola. He had observed Brun and he had the memories, but he had been too young by the time he became a hunter and the difficult weapon required not only precision and speed but also a great deal of physical strength to master. It was a weapon for full-grown adult men.

- Well... - said Borg - I don't have a bola just now... let's go and ask Brun; I think he has just finished a new one, maybe he could lend us his old one.

Brac followed Borg feeling very good with himself. This was turning out just as he had expected to. He had seen Brun finish his new weapon and that gave him the ideas on how to get to talk about hunting with the old man without offending Broud.

Brun was at his hearth talking with Grod about the new fishing net; he hadn't seen the children coming and was surprised to see all the clan's boys standing at his hearth led by the youngest of the hunters. He grunted an acknowledgement.

- Brun,... I... we... the boys... - Borg didn't know how to begin and felt very uneasy having interrupted Brun.

- Well, - said Brun, - you and the boys have came here to ask me...

- The boys want me to show them how to use the bola, and I thought that you could lend us your old bola since you have just finished making a new one. - said Borg.

The bola was a very dangerous weapon in the hands of an inexperienced man and Brun had certainly no intention of letting Borg try it surrounded by the children, but he didn't want to embarrass the young hunter in front of the boys either.

- That is a very good idea Borg. - said Brun making up his mind, - In fact I think I am going to take the opportunity to go with you and test my new bola. Would you come along Grod?

And saying that, Brun stood up, took his two bolas, gave one to Grod and both men walked to Mog-ur's hearth followed by a much relieved Borg, a satisfied Brac and three very excited children.

The four children were watching while Brun showed them the correct way to handle the dangerous weapon, explaining how to start the hurl and how to release it properly, so that it went in the desired direction; it was also important that the three stones spread apart evenly and flew whirling around their center before reaching the target so they wrapped tightly around it. The usual target was a tree stump, but there was none inside the cave, so Brun decided it was better to begin practicing the correct throwing technique and worry about aiming later. Teaching to the youngsters and practicing with his favorite weapon made Brun feel good, made him feel less tired, less worried, less bored, younger.

After Brun had made a few throws with the new bola, and some adjustments to the weapon, he made a few more throws alternating the new and the old one to make himself more comfortable and then asked Grod to make some practice throws himself. It was accepted that Brun was the master with the bola, but it was better if the young man and the boys saw someone else besides Brun making perfectly good throws; that way they would feel more confident in their own possibilities of mastering the difficult weapon, when their first attempts failed as they were deemed to.

Then it was the time for the boys. First was Borg, he was not a boy and it was more important to train him. The young man was very nervous, not only were Brac and the other boys looking, but also Zoug, Crug and Mog-ur were there seated in the ground watching. His first throw was awful, the stones flying almost directly upwards while everybody run for cover, it took him four attempts to make an acceptable throw. Then it was Brac's turn, the young leader-to-be decided to be cautious and didn't put enough force in his first throw with what the bola almost wrapped around himself; but it only took him three attempts to make his first good throw. Groob wanted to try too, and he did; but the bola was too heavy for him to handle and he feared it a little after seeing it almost wrapping on Brac, so he couldn't make a throw after trying a couple of times. Durc and Grev wanted to try too but were dismissed after being considered too young to try the heavy dangerous weapon.

Borg and Brac took turns practicing while Groob watched; Durc and Grev, seeing they were not going to be allowed to try, left to the main cave. After practicing for some time, Brac went to seat with Brun while Borg continued practicing with Grod; this was what Brac had wanted from the beginning.

- Brun, - asked Brac, - I want to ask you something about the mammoth hunt. - Brac was a direct man.

- I have seen Broud explaining you the mammoth hunt, - said Brun, - you can ask him anything. Broud is the man of your hearth, he is the one responsible for training you and the leader. - Brun's gestures implied he did not want to interfere with Broud's training of his successor.

- Broud is a great hunter, - accepted Brac, - could be the best hunter of all the clans.

Brac looked directly at Brun for a long moment waiting for the old ex-leader to comment on what he had just said, Brun didn't want to and the set of his jaw told it to Brac.

- Why didn't you look happy with the mammoth hunt? – Brun couldn't ignore the direct question.

- Broud is a fearless hunter, - said Brun, - probably the bravest hunter of all the clans, you are very lucky to have him training you.

Brac couldn't help noticing the difference in the adjectives.

- But...

Brun said nothing.

- He saved the hunt turning the mammoth around with great risk to his life.

- So you see, there is a lot you can learn from Broud.

- But you would have done it differently...

The boy was not going to be put off easily

- Different hunters have different strategies, - conceded Brun, - that doesn't mean that I would have done better.

- But you trained Broud, - insisted Brac, - and if he acts differently then I should also learn different ways too.

Brun did not want to interfere with Broud, but he was fond of the boy too. Maybe he had failed training Broud to be a leader, maybe Ursus was giving him a second chance.

- The most important virtue of a man is self control, - began the old man, - I am sure you know that, and the second most important is patience. When you are a leader, you must also pay very close attention to the people of your clan because your main obligation is their well being. The same happens in a hunt, the hunt leader must be very controlled, very patient and always think of his men's safety first.

Brac didn't miss one gesture, nor the tiniest nuance.

- In that hunt, Broud certainly saved the day putting his own life in danger; that was good, that was his duty as leader, but it would have been better if that hadn't been necessary. I would have waited more time to give the signal to chase, the mammoth would have been closer to the trap and would have tried to escape to the river, and to our trap, instead of trying to return to the plains. Now that is the most difficult decision in a hunt, it is as bad if you signal too late as if you signal too early. Broud thought that the mammoths were about to turn around and away from the trap, he might have been right, we will never know.

- Vorn would not have gotten hurt if Broud had waited, - said Brac.

- But the mammoths could have escaped.

- But you don't think they would.

- No, - Brun could not lie, - the trap was very well made, Broud knows a lot about hunting techniques indeed, and I think the mammoths would eventually have gone to the water. But again, we will never know.

Brac was not only listening to what Brun was saying, he was paying more attention to his body language, he knew now that the old man was not upset about that particular hunt but about Broud's behavior in general. He was himself sometimes uncomfortable about Broud's frequent emotional displays, but he admired the man for his courage and his hunting ability and now Brun was implying that Broud's fearlessness was akin to irresponsibility. He was confused, but Brun had been the highest ranked leader throughout all his leadership; maybe he was right, or maybe he was just getting old.

Brun was still talking, this time on the importance of self-control in a man and especially in a leader, and Brac was still listening. Borg and Groob had gone back to the main cave with Grod and there was only Goov with them, but Goov was sitting in his place of the spirits watching in silence. Then Durc and Grev came back in the inner cave, they had a small version of the bola, made with three small stones tied with cords made of vegetal fibers; The two boys were about to try throwing the makeshift weapon when Brun stopped them.

- Where did you get this? - asked Brun, - Who made it for you?

- Nobody,- said Grev, - Durc made it, I helped.

- Who showed you how to make this?

- I figured it myself, - said Durc, fearing he had done something wrong and made Brun angry, - I looked how yours was made and made one less heavy so we could learn too.

Brun studied the small weapon, It was not well made, the knots were unsafe and the stones should have been tied with leather thongs instead of vegetal cords and... But what intrigued him most was; how could the boy made it? Sure the weapon had to be in his memories, but there were too many changes in the design. Where did he get those ideas? How could he make it so fast?

- This is not well made, - said Brun, - this is too dangerous to use.

The boys looked to the ground.

- You will not try to make a weapon if a man does not show you first how it is done.

- But Brun!

- And you don't dispute when an adult tells you something! Now go to your hearths and find something useful to do!

Brun thought about the defiant deformed boy as the two friends went back to the main cave, he had promised to train him when he was born and he had promised the spirit of the boy's mother to protect him. The boy was too young yet but maybe it was time to begin training him too. He would have to talk to Vorn, he didn't like the idea; Brun grunted and left the inner cave followed by Brac.

Goov hadn't missed anything of what happened that day.

Vorn was at his hearth watching as the Medicine woman, his mate, was removing the birchbark wrapping of his broken arm. He had been worried when his arm was broken so far from the cave; if the arm didn't heal well he would loose his position as second-in-command. He knew he was too inexperienced to hold that position, he knew he would be Broud's second-in-command one day but would have preferred to wait a few years first. Now it was too late, stepping down would be an admission of his inadequacies and he would never recover from the loss of status. He had much to worry of, not only his lack of experience played against him when it came to give advice to a leader that never listened but there was also the problem of training that deformed boy; and now the problem of his broken arm. There was no way to win with Durc; if the boy was retarded and didn't learn to be a good hunter it would affect his prestige as the boy's trainer, if he proved to be a good hunter it would undoubtedly affect his own relation with Broud. The arm, on the other hand, appeared to be healing well. It looked thinner than the other arm and it hurt moving it, but he had been told to expect that.

- Now make a fist, - said Uba, - and now open your fingers one by one.

He complied.

- Good, extend your entire arm... now slowly touch your left shoulders with your left hand.

It hurt to do that but Vorn would not dare to admit pain.

- It must hurt a little, - said Uba, - but it seems to have healed well. Now you have to exercise it so when the winter is over it will be as strong as before, but do not exercise too hard at the beginning or the muscles will get damaged and the recovery will take longer.

Uba then rubbed a warm preparation of leaves and rendered mammoth fat on the muscles of the healing arm, massaging them to help and ease the pain.

- Uba! What are those plants you are putting in Vorn's arm? - asked Durc, who had been observing the whole process with great interest.

Uba felt very uncomfortable, no man ever asked a medicine woman about her magic, much less a boy. Boys usually avoided anything that had to do with "women's stuff" and tried to imitate the men.

- That is nothing of your concern boy! - said Vorn very angry, - Healing magic is for medicine women, not for men! - That boy would be a problem to train if he began to lose time interesting himself in women's abilities. Boys were expected to help their mothers in many women's tasks, but they were also expected to hate it.

Durc walked outside the hearth looking contrite. Meanwhile Uba had finished treating Vorn's injured arm but stayed there seated, looking to the ground; Vorn suspected what it was and immediately tapped her shoulder feeling in a much better mood.

- This woman has something important to tell her mate, - began Uba, then looked into the loving eyes of her mate. He already knew!

- My totem has been defeated again, - she continued in a less formal tone and without breaking eye contact, - I am pregnant, I will have a son by the end of spring, maybe early summer.

- How long have you known? Why haven't you told me before? A son! How can you be sure the baby will be male? - Vorn was very exited and it was all right to show it in the privacy of their hearth.

- I have known it since we were traveling, - she could not lie, - but sometimes a woman can miss her curse while traveling and not be pregnant; sometimes a woman can lose a baby while traveling, and I have lost a baby before. - the pain showed - I waited until we were settled to be sure before telling you. And I cannot know if the baby would be a boy or a girl, but I am wishing for a boy.

Vorn looked at his mate. Did she really wish for a boy? Medicine women always wished for girls to carry on with their line, but he could tell she just wished for the baby to be born healthy. A boy! The first son of his hearth! A healthy boy for him to train instead of that deformed... What if the pregnancy was a difficult one? What if she lost another baby? Ovra had lost several babies, and she was Mog-ur's mate. Vorn wouldn't dare to mention a cursed person by her name, that would bring bad luck, but he couldn't help speaking his mind out.

- I wish there were another Medicine Woman here to help you, - he said holding his mate.

- So do I...

- I will ask Mog-ur for a powerful charm to keep the baby healthy, - said Vorn caressing his mate. Mog-ur's charms hadn't been any good to help Ovra so he didn't have that much faith in them, but he would not left undone anything that might help. - Is there anything a man can do to help?

Uba was moved and surprised, babies were a woman's thing. But it felt good to be cared for.

- Babies are a woman's thing, - said Uba, - nothing can be done except asking the spirits to help, but eating well and staying healthy also help. It is good that I am pregnant in winter, - added Uba, - work is not too hard in winter.

Vorn thought in what Uba said, he knew there was not too much food this winter and also that people were more frequently sick in winter than in other seasons. Why had she said it was good that her pregnancy was in winter after saying that food and health were important? It had to be the hard work, reasoned Vorn, Uba would never complain over hard work but he would find the way for her not to work too hard next spring; hard work was not good for pregnancy. Who would have thought of that? But Uba was a Medicine Woman of Iza's line. Hadn't she fixed his broken arm even if he carried the mammoth all the way back to the cave? He did not doubt her, not a little bit.

Goov had been meditating a lot about his own limitations as Mog-ur, he knew he had no chance of ever compare himself with Creb; but he was Mog-ur now and he was needed by his clan. He feared he would fail them, he needed help, he needed help from the spirits. Taking his sacred herbs and mushrooms Goov went into the inner cave and into the sacred place of the spirits to prepare his drink. The spirits had been less and less helpful lately and he feared maybe they found him not worthy of the title of Mog-ur, then he felt somebody by his side. Turning around, Goov saw Ovra seated in the floor of the cave, outside the place of the spirits and not looking to it. Goov stepped outside the hide curtains that delimited the sacred place, forbidden to women, and tapped his mate in her shoulder.

- I thought maybe Mog-ur was thirsty, - she said, - I brought him something refreshing to drink.

Goov knew it would be Uba's drink, the one that made him hungry. Taking the proffered cup Goov asked his mate to leave him alone.

- Mog-ur is not thirsty right now, - he said - Mog-ur will drink later.

Ovra walked back to the main cave in silence, worry showed all over her. Goov looked at her as she went; he knew she was worried for his health but she was a woman. What did a woman know of the responsibilities of a Mog-ur? Hers was the selfish worry of a woman for his mate's health. She really didn't care for the more important spiritual health of the whole clan, he was the one who must worry for that. Women were always so shallow... What had the Medicine Woman said? That he was of no use to the cave if he fell sick... That he was of no use to the clan if he got himself lost in the spirit world... What did she know of the spirit world?

Goov vented his increasing anger smashing the datura preparation in the wooden bowl. A memory of himself doing the same for Creb formed in his mind; Creb always complained of the overzealous care of Iza for him, but he also always complied with what Iza said. Goov wished more than ever that his old mentor were alive, he would trust his advise more than anything the spirits could tell him; he was so old, and so wise. There were other wise old men in the clan, Brun was Creb's brother, Grod had been his second-in-command, Zoug had been second-in-command to the leader-before-Brun, and Droog was even older than Grod and very wise himself. Maybe he could ask them for advice. And thinking about asking for advice, Uba was very young but also a wise Medicine Woman of Iza's line, maybe he should listen to her too. Putting his half-done preparation and Uba's drink aside Goov walked back into the main cave and into Brun's hearth.

- Mog-ur would like to have a conversation with you, Brun - said Goov - Would you come with me to the place of the spirits?

Brun was surprised, and he was not quite used to such a young Mog-ur, but he was really doing nothing and Goov looked agitated. He grunted acquiescence and stood up to follow the young man.

But Goov did not go back to the inner cave, followed by Brun he went first to Grod's hearth. After greeting Grod and Zoug, he asked them both to come with him for a conversation in the place of the spirits. Seeing that Brun was coming along, both men agreed and followed Goov to the inner cave. Passing through his own hearth, Goov gestured to his mate.

- Ovra! Bring water!

Ovra filled a skin with from the small water current inside the cave and followed the men. After giving Brun the water, she returned to her hearth to cook for her mate.

Once the four men were seated around a small fire in the place of the spirits, Goov made some esoteric signs calling the spirits to help with their deliberations. It was nothing like actually calling the spirits to attend, as was done in ceremonies, it was more like asking for permission and inspiration.

- I have called you - began Goov very unceremoniously - because I need advise; I wish Creb was here but he is not, and you are the wisest men in this clan. I would have liked to ask Droog too but it is too notorious as it is and I do not want to upset Broud too much.

The three men assented, Broud's reactions were as unpredictable as a force of nature.

- I am worried about the future of this clan, - continued Goov, - and I do not think Broud is worrying enough, or even noticing the potential problems.

- Mog-ur is right, - said Brun, - and it is my fault for not having trained him properly to be a good leader.

- You did well Brun, - said Zoug, - the most important lesson is given by the example and you were the best example of leadership of all the clans. It is Broud´s fault not having learned from you. - Zoug had never liked the young leader.

- I too think it is Broud's fault, - said Grod, - but it is not important now, Broud is the leader and there is nothing we can do about it.

- You all are wrong, - said Goov, - and you all are right too. Broud is not a good leader, Broud is the best leader we can have. He is not the problem, he is our problem.

- Are you all right Mog-ur? - said Brun worried - You are not making any sense at all.

Goov looked through the men seated with him as if they were transparent, drank half the cup of Uba's drink and began to talk.

- Broud is not a good leader, I will admit to that. - Explained Goov, - But who else could be a better leader? Broud has been trained since birth by the best leader the clan ever had. He is obviously of Brun's spirit and he has in his memories the knowledge of all the great leaders before him. Brun's mate has produced no other son and Grod's mate has produced only a girl, my mate, therefore no other man in this clan has been trained to lead. There are good hunters but a good hunter does not make a good leader, Broud himself is a good hunter. We have a leader that lacks patience and self-control, but he is the best leader we can have now and we will have to deal with him.

The three men nodded, Mog-ur was right. Brun liked to learn that the young magician considered him the best leader ever, but he disagreed. If he was such a good leader, why had he done such a poor job training Broud? But he kept his thoughts to himself, Goov still had more to say.

- Broud is also not a problem himself, - continued Goov, - there are several more real, more urgent, and more important problems this clan has to face in the near and in the far future; our problem is that Broud does not seem capable but to deal with immediate problems.

That was more complex than what the men could understand. The future was a concept too alien to them, they usually foresaw only as far as the next winter, and only when it was already summer. The summer hunting, foraging, preserving and storing of food to survive the winter was the legacy of Ursus and the sacred knowledge that made them Clan. Only Goov, after a lifetime of esoteric and philosophic training, and Brun, who became such a good leader in part for his good planning, could grasp the concept of the future. And even them with great difficulty.

- As the Mog-ur, - said Goov after a small pause to drink, - it is my responsibility to warn my leader of the wishes of the spirits, inform him the correct timing for hunts and ceremonies, and watch for the spiritual needs of the members of this clan also to inform my leader. But I know that my responsibility is much greater than that. The spirits have told me that the well being of the clan is as much the leader's responsibility as the Mog-ur's. Usually the Mog-ur informs and advises the leader and it is the leader who decides what to do and takes action. But what happens when the leader does not hear to the Mog-ur or when he proves unable to take the right actions?

The three old men listened to the young Mog-ur with great interest and with growing admiration. They had been so used to the wisdom of The Mog-ur, that never until then had ceased to see Goov as an inexperienced acolyte; they were just beginning to appreciate him.

- When we had not found this cave yet, I noticed that our wandering was senseless. I feared the winter would find us cave-less and without food, and advised Broud to be methodical in the search and in the hunting. When he didn't listen, I decided to do it myself. It was a mistake. I will never be a good hunt leader, I would never be a good leader. Fortunately we found this cave and the spirits let me know that I must try to be the best Mog-ur I can be, and not try to replace my leader. - Goov was almost talking to himself - But what can I do if Broud doesn't listen? That is why I have called you here today, you are the wisest men in this clan and I need your advice. You are all prepared for leadership and your clan needs you now more than ever.

The four men stared at each other waiting. After a while it was evident that Mog-ur was done with his speech, but no one wanted to be the first to talk. Then old Zoug grunted for attention.

- I am the oldest of us, and this is probably my last winter. But if my experience is useful to my clan, I will do my best to help. Still I do not know what can we do; Mog-ur is right, there is no other man who could replace Broud and even if there was I don't think the traditions would allow it.

- I think I know. - said Grod - The three of us are the only men in this clan trained to lead. - It was so rare for Grod to volunteer an opinion that he had everyone's attention immediately – Brun has been leader many years and I, as his second-in-command, have been ready to step-in if something ever happened to him before Broud became a man. Zoug, likewise, has been second-in-command to the leader before Brun and like me was prepared to lead. We are all too old to lead now, but we can see and decide what needs to be done and find a way to get it done.

- You are right my friend, - said Brun, - you have always been ready to lead and I always trusted your advise and your wisdom. I think the three of us must decide what is best for the clan and then find the way to lead Broud to do it. He is the son of my mate and I feel responsible for his inadequacies, but I also think I know how his mind works and I can help to convince him of doing something without upsetting him too much.

- I do not think that we should have meetings like this too often, - said Goov, - Broud could get suspicious and that would be very bad for everybody.

- That should not be a problem, - said Zoug, - Brun is always with Grod so nobody would think anything of seeing them together; and if I begin joining them, it would look like we are just three old men that enjoy hanging together. Then, regularly, one of us would visit Mog-ur to keep him informed and to get his advice. I think no one would notice.

- I would say that Zoug has just proven his wisdom and his great value to the clan, - said Goov, - and I would say also that we must follow his advice. Now, it would be best if we finished this meeting; You can meet tomorrow or the day after, and I will visit Brun in the third day from now.

Nobody thought there was a reason to say anything else, and without a gesture they all stood up and left.

Goov stayed alone for a moment, he was happy with the outcome of the meeting. The three old men would help him to help his clan. He was about to finish the sacred drink to consult the spirits but thought better of it. He was feeling really hungry, maybe it was better to consult the spirits tomorrow, he thought. Leaving his preparation unfinished, he went into the main cave. Almost everybody was sleeping, he hadn't noticed it was so late, but Ovra was awake and had his meal ready. Goov ate with better appetite than ever in a long time, he was feeling very good indeed; later, before going to sleep, he signaled his mate for the first time in the new cave.

Durc spent that winter more time within the hearth than he would have liked to. Much as he would have liked to go out to play with Grev, practice with his sling or practice with his spear, Vorn made him stay and help Uba with her chores. The man was really worried that Uba's baby would die like the first one and had reached to the conclusion that hard work was bad for the baby. That was something no man had ever thought before, a good clan woman had to be a hard worker and it added to a man's prestige if his mate was so; it was considered a sign of his good training and disciplining. But Vorn had always been very observant of his mate; he knew she was pregnant before she told him, and he had known the first time too. Now he observed that Uba tried to do less work that required physical strength and more work that allowed her to remain in the hearth. He would not ask her, it was considered unmanly to show interest in women's stuff and health caring was, as child bearing, women's concerns; but he constantly order her to do many easy simple tasks at the hearth and always made sure that the boy was available to help.

Uba was pleased that her mate showed his love the only way he knew, but was annoyed to have him watching her every move, every day, all day. She knew some exercise was good and insisted to visit one hearth every day to check on the health of its members. Durc was ordered to follow her and carry water for her and whatever stuff she wanted to take with; Uba carried only her medicine bag, made of a whole skin of an otter. It was then, during the long days of that winter that Uba began to notice that her adopted son was far more different than what his physical deformities showed. It was not only that he looked different, or that he was taller and skinnier than other boys would be at his age; it was more the way he thought and the way he learned. He was a bright boy and remembered fast and easily any boyish thing he was remembered of, he also had a speed and natural ability that more than overcame his lack of strength. But what made him different was how easily he understood and mastered skills that could not possibly be in his memories, women's skills. He was curious, he asked so many questions that Uba had to answer him if only to have some peace, not really expecting him to understand; but he did. Time and time again. By the end of the winter, the boy knew more about cooking, weaving, fur scrapping, and even healing than any other boy in the clan, more than any man at that, almost as much as a girl his age.

Vorn could not help but to notice and began to worry. The boy was strange like his late mother, but it was his responsibility to train him and he didn't like strange behaviors. First he didn't object because his main concern had been Uba, and the boy did help; but as the winter passed, and Uba's pregnancy progressed without problems, Vorn began to worry that Durc's girlish skills could mean that he had the wrong memories. Maybe it was time to talk with Mog-ur and ask for advice. He hadn't liked Goov's attitude during the last days before they found the cave, but the magician had been concentrated in the spirit world the whole winter and seemed not to have intentions to undermine his position anymore. Making a decision, he walked towards Mog-ur's hearth.

- I would talk to Mog-ur if he is not too busy, - said Vorn, - I think I could use some advice.

- Please seat with me by my fire, - answered Goov, - my mate will bring us something to drink.

Ovra, who had been watching unobtrusively the two men, approached with a skin of fresh water, and stayed seated in the ground before her mate. Goov promptly tapped her shoulder. She looked up at him and handing him the water container, asked.

- This woman would like to visit the Medicine woman to help her and see how she fares.

Ovra knew Uba was fine, the Medicine woman had visited them only two days ago, but Goov saw the relief in Vorn's face; the young hunter would appreciate the privacy. Women were not allowed in men's conversations, but women always knew everything that happened in their hearths and everybody knew women loved gossip.

- You can go - signaled Goov turning his attention to Vorn. - What can I do for you Vorn? You look worried.

- It is the boy, Durc. He has been helping Uba a lot this winter, and I can see he has many girlish interests; he is quite fast learning things that are not for men too, and I worry that he may have the wrong memories. That worries me because he lives at my hearth and I am responsible for his training.

- As far as I know, - said Goov, - the boy prefers to be with Grev, practicing hunting skills; and even if he is not too strong he is fast and seems fairly good for his age to me. It has been you who's been keeping him at the hearth to help Uba instead of letting him go to play with the other boys as he wanted.

- Yes, I have done that, because Uba has already lost one baby and I don't want her to lose this one, - explained Vorn, - so I don't want her to work too hard. I cannot help her, I don't know how, but boys always help their mothers with the chores so I make him help.

- I see... - Goov waited for Vorn to assimilate his own words, - and now you worry because he obeys you too well...

- I... I... - Vorn didn't know what to say, - It's not that I want him to disobey, but he is not supposed to like it, or to be good at it. I always hated to help Aga, and I was never good at it.

- Well, let's look at the whole picture, - Mog-ur was looking slightly amused, - you ordered him to stay at the hearth helping Uba more than is usual for a boy. You said that you don't want Uba to work too hard because of the baby. Why do you think that ward work is bad for the baby? Aga is pregnant, she is not too young anymore and still she is working just as hard as always.

- Well... I... er...

- Besides, What do you know about pregnancy? Isn't that woman's stuff? Medicine woman's stuff?

- I just thought... Uba said... - Vorn did not know what to say. Uba never actually said she wanted to avoid hard work.

- Calm down Vorn, - said Mog-ur, - it is only natural that the boy worries for his mother, especially when he sees you worried for her. A boy always looks for the man of his hearth for a model. And don't forget that his real mother was different too, she had a male totem; she was good at women's work and at medicine, still she made herself good at a man's skill as is hunting. I always thought that her Cave Lion totem had a part in her pregnancy and was never totally defeated. That is why the boy looks deformed, he looks part like her and part like the man whose totem spirit defeated hers.

Vorn remembered the discussion when Durc was born. No one really knew whose totem defeated Ayla's Cave Lion, and Ayla had said her son was not deformed but mixed. No one had believed that then.

- Maybe the boy learns women's skills the same way his mother learned, - continued Goov, - because I happen to know that she didn't have the memories, she was not really clan. Still she learned all Iza's memories and became the first ranked Medicine woman at the Clan Gathering. I wonder if the boy has the memories, I think he has, but he is still too young for a ceremony and only at a ceremony can I find if he does. Meanwhile you must not worry; train the boy as it is your duty and I will be watching closely to help you if it is needed. I think the boy is special and important to the clan, I still don't know why; Droog thought of Ayla as a sign from one's totem, he said she brought luck to the clan if not to herself, she is gone now but she has left us Durc...

Mog-ur was not there anymore; he was, but his mind was elsewhere. His eyes looked through Vorn as if he wasn't there, Vorn felt his spine chilling...

Ovra was talking to Uba, she was more worried for her own mate than for the well-being of the Medicine Woman. And also worried for herself.

- ... and he is eating more, but still he goes to meditate very often and he always looks so spent after the meditations, like if he is coming from a long hunting trip without food or water but also without thirst or hunger. - was saying Ovra.

- And is he relieving his need with you... or some other woman? - Uba knew that relieving his need, in a man, was sign of good health - I remember you said he wasn't.

- Yes he is, - said Ovra, - especially when he comes back from his meetings with Brun and Grod. He meets with one of them almost every two or three days, and with old Zoug too. He always looks better after those meetings, but also sometimes he goes to meditate immediately afterwards.

- And you? - asked the Medicine Woman, - You do not look too good either, are you eating well? – Uba knew the worries could affect health too, and Ovra looked tired, gaunt.

Ovra looked at the floor for a long time without answering and then sighed.

- I am afraid I may be pregnant.

Uba was startled. Ovra had lost several babies when she was younger and then stopped getting pregnant, she assumed the woman was barren, this was unexpected.

- Are you sure? - Uba tried to remember - When did you have your last curse?

- I am not sure, - said Ovra. - but I am several days late now... and I feel pregnant.

- Let me examine you, come lie on this furs, - Uba proceeded to a very careful examination, looking into Ovra's eyes, feeling her pulse, smelling her breath, feeling her breasts and her abdomen... - I can't tell, it is too soon yet to know for sure. I thought you couldn't get pregnant anymore, it's been so long.

- I didn't take my medicine.

- What medicine?, - Uba didn't know Ovra was being medicated.

- After the last one I lost, Ayla gave me a medicine to take every morning like a tea, - said Ovra, - She had given me some the day before she was...

Ovra was afraid to signal the words. It was bad luck to mention a death curse.

- I see, - interrupted Uba, helping her, - And then?

- I ran out of it at about the time that we found the cave. Only Ayla gave it to me and I didn't know what it was, I guess I thought that after all this time I wouldn't need it.

Uba knew very well what it was, she just didn't know Ovra was taking it. She was too young when her sister died, and it had been all so fast... Now this was going to be a problem, with some luck it was not already too late to interrupt it.

- I want the baby. - said Ovra looking Uba directly in the eyes.

She knew! Maybe she didn't actually know what it was, but she certainly knew what it was for. The two women looked into each other's eyes for a long moment. Uba knew what it felt to loose a baby, she knew the pain, the fear, and the longing. Uba looked away first, if she wanted... so be it! This was going to be hard, and a lot of help would be needed. From the spirits world... and from the spirit's man...

Suddenly it was all dark and cold; a strange soft wind blowing from behind him, flowing around his body, beneath his clothing. His stomach seemed frozen, his spine his back and his neck chilling. He couldn't breathe; his first impulse was to turn around and run, but he couldn't move. He tried to yell for help but he couldn't make a sound, he was frozen like a chunk of ice, defenseless, terrified. There was some light around, but it wasn't light it was a dense white fog turning around him and then, in front of him amidst the fog, a dark figure began to form. I grew bigger and bigger, it came closer and closer; it raised from the floor, gigantic, in front and above him. It was Ursus.

The strong smell that he remembered form the Clan Gathering, when he was just one of the children, filled his nostrils; raising his head Ursus roared upwards and then looked down at him. For a long time, that seemed forever, Ursus stayed there looking at him, growling but saying nothing. Then from behind Ursus, beside his right leg, another enormous head appeared; it was the Gray Wolf Totem Spirit and he was growling at him too, looking directly at him with his big yellow eyes. Ursus came down on his four legs, turned around and disappeared into the white fog without having said anything; but the Gray Wolf Spirit stayed there, growling, showing his big sharp teeth and waiting... Vorn's eyes hurt, but he dared not to look away form those yellow eyes. The fog turned yellow, then red, and then darker than red; his eyes hurt so much... Vorn blinked... and saw Goov. The magician's empty eyes reflected the dark red flames of the small fire between them; there was no fog, no spirits, he was back in the cave.

- Go! - said Mog-ur - Ursus has spoken to us. I must meditate on his message. Come back tomorrow if you wish.

Vorn needed not to be told twice. He stood up and went straight to his hearth, he felt dizzy and his broken arm hurt like the first day. Uba looked at him and went serious.

- Are you feeling right? You look awful! - the Medicine Woman in her took charge forgetting protocol and proper behavior, it was within their hearth after all – Come here, you are sweating, you are all wet.

Vorn was very careful with proper behavior, even within the privacy of his own hearth, he was too conscious of the weakness of his position as second-in-command, due to his lack of experience, and tried to avoid anything that could affect his status. But not this time. He sat on his sleeping place and let his mate take off his wrap and dry him with soft absorbent rabbit skins.

- You are cold and sweaty! - said Uba - This is not good at all! Are you feeling well? Put this dry wrap on, lie in your furs and let me hear your heart! - The young Medicine Woman knew something was wrong with her mate, but she didn't know what. This was not a sickness of his body, this was a sickness of his spirit and she didn't know what to do.

Vorn fell asleep as if he was tired from a long hunt, as his breathing normalized, his body temperature raised and his heartbeat calmed, Uba tranquilized herself and let him sleep. Then began to meditate herself.

There had been not enough food this winter and Broud, prompted by Mog-ur, had begun to ration it; however, despite not being well fed the clan was reasonably healthy. The long narrow entrance to the new cave kept all the wind and the cold of the winter out of it. Even the worst storms could only be noticed by the sound of the wind heard through the smoke hole and the entrance passage. None of the usual winter sicknesses had preyed on the clan, the cave was lucky. The oldest members of the clan suffered from arthritis and hard breathing, but it was not unusual for their age and not particularly bad; even Zoug, whom she had thought might not survive this winter, was faring well. The hunters and the children took advantage of the inner cave to exercise practicing with their weapons, thus reducing the need to go outside and expose themselves to the harshness of the cold season. All the children were faring well too, Igra was rapidly growing into a fine young woman but still her body showed no sign of becoming a real woman, maybe next winter, maybe later. She was the only girl child in the clan, unless more girls were born there would be no mates for the boys but that was Broud's problem, and Durc, her beloved stepson, already had a mate arranged for him. She dared not to hope her child would be a girl, it could bring bad luck and she had had very bad luck the first time, maybe because she hoped for a girl to carry on with her line. She wanted to hope for a boy this time, she was young and there was enough time for girls.

Aga was pregnant too, but this was her fourth pregnancy and she was a strong healthy woman; her child was expected by mid spring, one full moon before her own. Ona was the other pregnant woman, it was her first pregnancy and she was very young for it, although not as young as herself, still it required close watching just to make sure everything went right. Fortunately Ona was not due until late summer, so she would be heavy and give birth in the good season. Ovra was another thing. She had many miscarriages in the past, and was old for a first child. That alone would be a problem even without her history of losses. Iza had treated her without success and Ayla too, later. She knew she was not half as good as any of them. Even if Ovra weren't due until the end of summer, she would require much care since the very beginning. She would have to figure out what to do with Ovra, and she would have to talk with Mog-ur.

Goov was seated in front of the fire at his hearth thinking in the strong vision he just had. He hadn't been prepared, and he hadn't taken the sacred drink, still Ursus had come to him and he was sure Vorn had seen him too. Never before had Ursus presented himself to a not-Mog-ur clan member outside the mystic environment of a ceremony and in a vision so clear that could be shared, at least not in Goov's memories. After some meditation Goov understood that Ursus came to him, no to Vorn; he had called him asking for an answer to the mystery of Durc's strange behavior and he came with such force that even Vorn saw him. But what was the Gray Wolf doing in his vision? Why did Ursus leave without saying anything after presenting himself with such force? Why did the Gray Wolf stay? He seemed to be waiting, but... Waiting for what? So many questions, so few answers. Goov decided to prepare the sacred datura and go in search for Ursus again. He had only questions, and only Ursus had the answers.

- The rationing of meat is hard, - said Zoug, - and still may not be enough. The winter is still going to last a long while for all I see. Goov may have to talk to Broud again.

- I don't think Mog-ur is wrong, - said Brun, - he has been going outside every other day when there is no storm to watch the sunset and also to watch the stars at night. If he says winter is ending I think we can count on that.

Brun never failed to use the young magician's title, while Zoug never quite saw him as anything else than an inexperienced acolyte.

- Still I think we should reduce our rations a little, - insisted Zoug, - just in case.

Both men looked at Grod who, as usual, said nothing. Only a slight movement of his head told his partners that he was not convinced either way.

- Is the weather outside still good? - Asked Brun to no one in particular.

- Yes it is, - said Zoug, - its is cold and dry with very little wind, the snow is deep but hard-packed, the water stream is frozen though and there is no sign yet of the spring floods.

- There are some winter animals that could be found. I wonder, how are the boys doing with the sling training? – asked Brun, this time looking at Zoug.

- Crug and Broud had gone hunting a few times. - said Grod, his posture implying they came back empty handed.

- Those kids never learned to track - said Zoug.

- Maybe the younger ones could learn from you, - said Brun. He didn't doubt Broud's tracking skills, but he did doubt his patience. Crug, on the other hand, had never been good at small game; the man was good hunter and had very good eyes, but was not very observant.

- No, - said Zoug, - I am too old to go hunting in a cold winter day. And I wouldn't see a bunch of mammoth dung if I didn't step on it. But you two should go; the boys are good, especially Brac. Groob is not quite good with the sling, but is very observant, and will be a good tracker one day. Durc is very good at throwing and almost never misses the target, but he is still too young and looses his concentration very easily. Grev only likes to play, he is too immature and one would think he is younger than Durc and not otherwise, Broud is not doing a good job there.

- I have to finish the net, - said Grod. In fact the new fishing net was almost ready, but Brun suspected the real reason was that the laconic man had no patience for children.

- I can take the children, - agreed Brun, - but I will need some help to protect the children in case some meat eater attacked us. - Brun hated to be remembered of age but he was conscious that he was not young enough anymore. – I think Borg could use some training too.

The two old hunters nodded. Borg was a good choice, and the young man seemed to like being surrounded by the children.

- Now all we need is to make Broud think of it, and order you to go out with the boys, - said Zoug looking amused.

- Well, that is Mog-ur's job, - said Brun also looking happy himself, - He has learned to handle Broud very skillfully and quite fast. I will talk to him tonight and we will go out tomorrow.

- Uka!

Hearing her name, Grod's mate approached with two bowls of tea she had already prepared and gave them to Brun and Grod, then came back with another one for Zoug and disappeared again. After so many years she knew what her mate wanted before he ever said anything. Grod was very proud of it and liked to show off with his friend Brun.

Men are so easy to understand, thought Uka, and so easy to please. Women were far more complex. She wished her daughter would talk to her, she knew it was more than Mog-ur's health what worried Ovra but couldn't point out what it was. Maybe it would be better if Grod went to talk to Goov instead of Brun, that way she would have an excuse to visit her daughter and have a long talk. That would be good indeed. Uka thanked Ursus that men were so easy to understand... and to manage.

Grod inspected the knots in the outer rim of the new net. It was a flat-dish-shaped net, its diameter as much as one and a half spear, a strong braided cord came out from its center almost the length of three spears. The outer edge was braided cylindrical for as much as a hand's length and then folded again towards the center for about two hands. This was the critical part, because it was in that fold that the fish would get caught. Another strong braided cord was to be attached to the edge of the net and several small stones attached to it; then the net would be ready for testing. Ebra and Uka were unobtrusively watching Grod waiting for his approval, since they had made most of the weaving and braiding.

- It is good to have that river so close to the cave, - said Uka to her sister, - We always had trout when we lived in the other cave.

Ebra looked at her sister not understanding, They didn't have trout in the other cave.

- The OTHER cave, - insisted Uka, - the one before the last.

- I remember now! - said Ebra - Old Brug had a very lucky net, he never failed to bring fish, also he was very good with it. - The two sisters felt very nostalgic remembering their mother's mate.

- Of course he was good, - said Uka, - and his net had a lucky charm made by The Mog-ur himself. It was the first charm made by Creb, he was very young then but very powerful already...

- Women! – said Grod sharply, - Stop gossiping about things you don't understand! Now bring the stones I've been selecting, it is time to finish the net. I want to test it tomorrow.

Grod would never admit that he had been paying attention to the women's chat, but he remembered that lucky net too. It had been one of the first indications of the power Creb would eventually acquire. Too bad it had been buried with the old man, but it was the tradition. Goov may not be Creb but he was Mog-ur now; leaving the women to work in the net Grod left to talk to Brun, and then to Mog-ur.

Borg and the children were seated in the ground with Brun, forming a circle, in the central area of the main cave. Brun had been drawing in the soil the footprints of different animals for the boys to recognize.

- Now we will see the way they look in the snow, - said Brun, - Grev! Go bring some snow, Borg go with him! - it was always best not to send out a child unprotected even to the mouth of the cave.

- Good! - said Brun spreading the snow, - we must be fast or the snow will melt. What animal do you want first? - Testing the interest of his audience.

- A rabbit!, - said Brac.

- Ptarmigan! - Durc.

- Fox! - Borg

- We cannot eat fox! - complained Groob. Borg wasn't thinking on eating, he wanted to give Ona a white winter fox for a pelt.

- Fox is important, - said Brun, - it is a meat-eater and competes with us for the same food in winter. We must also learn to recognize wolf tracks and other meat eaters like hyena, lynx, snow leopard, and even cave lion because they are a threat to the hunters. Let's begin with rabbits. - and began to explain the way to find rabbit tracks in the snow.

Later, when the sun was up, the small band went outside to practice. Brun knew their chances were slim being so big a number, but it felt good to go out. Broud had come that morning complaining that he had not been doing anything for the cave, and ordered him to take the youngsters out to practice tracking in the snow.

- Mog-ur says the snow will begin to melt soon, - had said Broud, - and we will have missed the opportunity until next winter!

After going out Brun made sure all of them familiarized themselves with the surroundings.

- It is very easy to get lost in the snow, - he said to the boys, - you must check for landmarks. And remember they look very different in winter than in summer.

Then he guided his small troop to the hillsides where the trees and the bushes provided ideal conditions for the small animals to dig their dens. After a while, they found tracks of winter ermine and fox, but saw none and found no rabbits. He was about to turn back when Groob touched him in the arm pointing to one side.

At first he saw nothing but then, seated in the snow, there were a pair of white ptarmigan. Brun signaled Brac and Borg to follow and the other to say quiet. Moving as stealthy as possible he took the two young men within sling range. Silently told Borg to aim for one of the birds and Brac to the other one and when the three of them were ready signaled to launch.

Both birds saw the hunter's movement and tried to fly away, but Borg's stone caught one squarely. Brac's launch was too late and hit the place where the bird had been, but the bird had taken to the air an instant before. Brun had aimed for the same bird, but noticing that Brac was too slow, delayed his own launch giving the boy the first chance and aimed higher. His stone hit the fleeing bird in a wing hurting it and causing it to land a short distance ahead.

- Come!, - he said to the future leader, - get another stone! - And ran towards the fallen bird followed by the excited boy, and all the other boys, except Borg who was retrieving his prey.

When they were at proper distance from the bird, Brun stopped and signaled Brac to launch again. Standing in the snow with a broken wing it was an easy target, Brac's stone ended the ptarmigan's suffering.

- Very good Brac! - said Grev running excitedly around his big brother, who was quickly surrounded by all the boys.

- Good, - said Brun putting his strong arm around the boy's shoulders, - All of you must understand the importance of not being discouraged by missing a first shot. The hunt doesn't end until the prey is killed or escapes.

- Look!, - shouted Groob pointing to where Brac's prey was, it was not a silent word but a loud voice of alarm.

Brun turned around just in time to see a white fox come out from behind a bush, snatch the dead bird and run away with it. As fast as he could, he put another stone in his sling and launched. He was angry with himself, instead of securing the bird he had lost time congratulating the boy. What was he teaching the boys? To be careless?. He launched with all his strength but he knew it was useless, the fox was already out of range and his stone fell a couple paces short. Then...

Twack!

Out of nowhere came a stone that hit the fox in the head killing it instantly.

Brun became instantly alert. Other hunters in the vicinity could only mean danger, he knew there were no other clans nearby, and it was still too cold for clan hunters to be far away from their caves. He turned around to check on his boys first and the surprise stunned him. Standing on a snow covered dead log, his weapon still balancing from his hand, was the hunter of the fox... Durc!

- Mine! - called Durc and ran for his fox, followed by all the children, unaware of the effect that what he just had done had in Brun.

He knew that he was not young anymore, and that more than one of the hunters could probably out-range him with a sling, but... A four years old boy?. He felt suddenly very old.

Walking slowly to where the boys were, Brun began to think more clearly. He knew the distance at which the fox was. He knew it was out of range before he threw. It would have been out of his range even if he had been in his prime. And the boy had been behind him, farther from the fox, and made his throw later! The boy deserved closer watching.

- Well done Durc, - said Brun arriving, - You are going to be a good hunter.

- Can we go searching for more? - said Grev, - I want to hunt too.

- Alright, - said Brun, - but we search on the way back. First we go searching for the fox's tracks to learn from them. - And went back to where the now dead fox had stolen the ptarmigan.

- Here, carefully, do not step on the tracks, - said Brun to the boys crowding around him, - you can see where the fox came downhill, here, and here where it hid in the bushes to observe us before going for Brac's ptarmigan when we weren't looking. Now see how the track looks like.

The boys, highly motivated by the hunt success, listened very interested while Brun showed them how to understand, from the tracks, what had the fox been doing before Durc killed it. After backtracking for a while, they turned back towards the cave. In their way they found rabbit tracks but they lost it after following them for a while, they also found ermine tracks, but no ermine. After a while the boys began to feel tired and began to loose their concentration, so Brun headed to the cave.

Coming down from uphill, the small band of boys lead by the old hunter made another disturbing discovery. Again it was Groob the first to see it.

- Brun, look!, - said the boy, - more tracks!

Brun studied the new track carefully...

- Borg! - called the former leader, - look here, these are wolf tracks and they are recent. They are from a very big wolf, very heavy. See here? And here? Only one, not a pack, probably a loner. Everybody stay together! I walk in the front, Borg keep the rear. Keep eyes and ears open everybody!

The tiredness disappeared instantly, fear and anticipation were the dominating feelings while they followed the wolf in the direction of their cave. After a short walk they reached a point from where they could see their cave, that was also the end of the wolf track.

- It looks as if the wolf came here to observe our cave and left after a while the same way it came from. - said Brun pensively, - Borg! Brac! Everyone! Look these tracks here, see? They are from this morning, it seems that the wolf left at about the same time we went out hunting. - Maybe it has been following us, thought Brun, but did not say it. That was not possible, reasoned Brun, the fox would not have approached if there was a wolf nearby.

- I've seen wolf tracks here before, - said Borg, - the day you came back with the mammoth.

- The wolf is gone now, - said Brun, - let's go back to the cave.

Once in the cave, Brun went directly to talk to Grod. There was a large wolf stalking their cave, they needed to take safety measures.

Brac went to show Broud his ptarmigan followed by his admiring little brother, who told Broud how Brac AND Brun had missed the first shot, and then Brac's second throw killed the bird. The boys instinctively forgot to tell about the fox, and Durc's long range throw, they knew Broud would find out soon enough. Meanwhile Broud was very proud of the son of his mate, and of his own wisdom in sending Brun out with the boys. He gave the bird to Oga and ordered her to cook her son's kill at once.

Durc went to Uba, gave her the other bird, and asked her to prepare her special stuffed ptarmigan dish. He knew of his step-mother's weakness for the fat feathered footed birds and had wanted to get one since the moment Brun told them they were going out.

- We won't have the eggs, - said Uba, - and I will have to use dried vegetables instead of fresh ones, but I can see how tender and delicious this kill of yours is! - The bird was somewhat old, and after the long winter it was very lean, but Uba was decided to make it delicious; it was her sister's son first kill. This was a time when her vast knowledge of plants and herbs would serve her for something other than healing. – Oh my baby! You are such a fine hunter! Go tell Vorn how did you kill this fat delicious bird!

Vorn had approached them and was impressed with the young boy's skill. Four years old for his first kill! That was something!

- Oh, but I did not kill it, - said Durc, - Borg did. I asked him for it and he gave it to me.

Vorn looked at Borg's hearth, which was next to his, and saw the young hunter giving a white fox to his adoring mate.

- Here! - said the young man throwing the carcass to the floor in front of his beautiful pregnant mate, who was seated making a basket, - make something for you... or for the baby.

- Yes, - said Ona, - for the baby!

The two lovebirds had eyes only for each other, they wouldn't notice Vorn looking at them if he were a raging cave lion.

So Borg had killed the bird, and a fox; that made more sense. The young man was a better hunter than he thought. And this was one good opportunity to teach the deformed boy something about social obligations.

- This is not right Durc, - said Vorn sternly, - unless you make some retribution. Borg has given you the bird because you asked for it and because he is very generous, but you must give him something of similar value in return or you, and I, will be in his debt.

- That will not be necessary, - said Durc nonchalantly, - I gave him my fox!

The rest of the winter passed by quickly, Brun continued to go out with the older boys and Borg, teaching them how to track and keeping mental notes on the wolf's tracks they found frequently. He could tell by then that it was always the same one wolf. Probably a loner, thought Brun; but it was too big and heavy, it made no sense and Brun was uneasy. Broud, Vorn, Droog and Crug went out several times looking for it, but always failed to track it down; that made everybody nervous and the women and children were not allowed to go out without the protection of at least two hunters, which only made everybody more nervous. Grev and Durc were not allowed to go out again with Brun and the older boys for they were considered too young to go out where a dangerous predator was stalking the cave.

Nothing was said again on the subject of Durc's fox, beyond the shocked congratulations from Vorn and Uba, but it took nonetheless something out from the celebration of Brac's first kill. Broud was annoyed but he could do nothing about it. Besides, Goov, Brun and Grod made sure he was kept very busy with the problems of the lack of food, the wolf, the safety of the children and the women, and any other little domestic or administrative problem they could think off, just to keep him occupied. With his leadership duties taking most of his time, Broud soon forgot about Durc, Brac was too sure of his own position to feel threatened and was happy for the boy whom he would some day lead in a hunt; Vorn was something else.

As the man of the hearth, Vorn was supposed to take the credit for the boy's obviously good training, but a long conversation with Brun, Grod and Mog-ur made him change his mind.

- So you can see that the boy is too young to realize the importance of what he just did, - had said Mog-ur looking directly into his eyes, - he was just happy to trade his fox for his favorite meal. It was unfortunate that Brac made his first kill that very same day, but there is nothing to gain by calling Broud's attention to the boy. If Broud begins to feel about Durc the same way he felt about his mother, - insisted Mog-ur, - that will only mean problems for you since the boy lives at your hearth. And don't forget that your mate is the medicine woman of the clan. If Broud takes it on the boy she will be upset, and if she is upset her healing magic could be affected; that would be disastrous to the clan. There are four pregnant women including herself and Ovra, and the spring sickness will hit anytime now. It is your responsibility as second-in-command and as the mate of the medicine woman to see that she is not upset.

- You were a precocious hunter yourself, - said Brun, - I remember you were only two years past your weaning year when you made your first kill. Brac, who will be the next leader, is now two years older than you were then. It is not estrange than the boy is so young at his first kill, living at your hearth.

Vorn didn't know what to make of Brun's praise, he could see that the old man was holding some of his thoughts; but everything he had said was true.

- And I think you are the youngest second-in-command of all The Clan. - Added Grod.

Vorn was not immune to praise; specially from the most respected leader of the Clan Gathering, his second-in-command and the Mog-ur of his clan.

- I think you are right Mog-ur, - conceded Vorn, - I will not forget my responsibility to my clan. I will do as you say.

- And there is no need to bother Broud with any of what we have talked about today, - said Mog-ur, - he is very heavily burdened with the problems of leading the clan. As his second-in-command you can help him best taking care of this yourself.

Yes Mog-ur, I will. - Filled with pride on himself and his own role within his clan, Vorn found it more comfortable to surrender his will to the wisdom of the young magician and the former leaders of his tribe.

As a result, Vorn began to spend more time training Durc and keeping him out of Broud's way. Durc spent the time when he was not with Vorn, helping Uba and, most of it, playing with Grev.

Grod had finished the new fishing net, actually Ebra and Uka did under his direction; and Broud ordered, by Mog-ur's suggestion, all hunters to practice with it at the pool in the inner cave. Broud himself spent more time practicing than anyone else, he couldn't bear the thought that he may not come to be the best with the new device. Of course, Grod's curt comment on Droog's good technique had something to do with it.

The spring floods followed the spring thaw and the spring rains; and as the clan grew accustomed to their new home, life fell into a pattern as ancient as the Clan itself. Once the waters subsided to normal levels, the mountain creek in front of the cave proved rich in trout and pike; and Grod's new net turned out to be very effective, specially in his and Broud's hands. Broud ordered Grod to make two nets more, Ebra and Uka went to work on them. The season progressed and the hunters began to get ready for the time when the big herds of bison, aurochs, horses and other grazing animals came to feed on the grass of the huge prairies that lay in front of their cave.

They were not the only ones. The big gray wolf was moving his pack back north, looking for the very same game. He had observed the big cave the whole winter, the strange foul-smelling two-legged animals had taken it and he knew that he had to find a new nursery for the young ones. He took his pack east of the cave and planned to stay away from those animals as long as possible. But they were in his hunting territory and he knew that sooner or later he would have to deal with the problem they presented; sooner or later he would have to face them.

Uka came to Vorn's hearth to visit with the medicine woman. It was mid spring and although the rain season has not over yet, the men had gone out for the first spring hunt. Grod and Brun had been ordered to stay to protect the cave, but at the last moment, Mog-ur's refusal to go had resulted in Brun joining the hunters. Uba had been very busy since several clan members fell to the spring sickness, and it took a lot of her, since she was very heavy with her pregnancy. She was specially concerned about Aga, who had been very sick and was not so young anymore, and Uba hadn't been able to give her the strong dosage of medication she would liked to because of her advanced pregnancy; but the woman was strong, and was recovering well. Uba hoped that the illness didn't affect the baby too much. They would find out soon enough, since the first baby to be born in "The Den" was due anytime now.

But Uka's concern was not Aga, nor Uba's advanced pregnancy, nor her own health; she wanted to talk about Ovra. She had been worried for her daughter ever since she learned of her pregnancy that night before the day of Brac´s first kill, and was very upset because Ovra had been selected to go with the hunters. Broud, angry at Mog-ur's refusal to go, had demanded Ovra's participation claiming that she was strong and healthy and they needed enough women to process and carry back the meat.

- Uba, I am worried about Ovra, - said Uka going directly to the point, - she should not be allowed to go in a hunt. She has lost enough babies when she was young and now she is pregnant again and not that young anymore.

- She will be alright Uka, - said the medicine woman, - she is healthy, she didn't even get the spring sickness, and she is not too far along into her pregnancy. Besides, the hunters need women to process the meat and carry it back to the cave, Broud is right on that; and two of the strongest women, Aga and myself, are too heavy to go.

- But Ovra is weaker than anybody would know, - insisted Uka, - she has a weak womb. That is why she drops the babies before they are ready.

- How can you say that Uka? You are not a medicine woman! - Uba didn't like the older woman's implication that she was not that good a medicine woman, - I have examined Ovra yesterday and I can assure you that she and her baby are alright.

- I mean no disrespect Uba, - said Uka, - but you are too young yet. Iza died before you were fully trained and Ayla died too soon after that. I might know something from my old age that you don't know from your training.

- What would that be Uka? - Uba was really annoyed, not less because Uka was spelling the truth, - Ovra did lose babies while Iza was still alive, and she was the first ranked medicine woman. Do you think you know something Iza didn't?

- I might... – Uka looked hard at the young medicine woman in the eyes, and for a minute both women locked in a battle of will.

But Uba was a full-fledged medicine woman despite her young age, and her status was higher than that of the older woman. Uka was the first to look down.

- That is alright Uka, - Uba looked more relaxed and confident now, - I understand you worry for Ovra, but I assure you, I am looking very carefully after her and I will make everything possible to help her have this baby.

- I meant it Uba, - insisted Uka, her stance much more humble now, - I know of something.

Uba's inquisitive and curious look was for Uka a signal to go on.

- My mother, and Ebra's, was an only child. Her mother was just like Ovra. - Uka was looking down, her signs barely understandable, - Uba, the one you were named after, helped her. She was a most respected medicine woman. Like Iza.

- Do you remember what did she gave her? - It was a nonsense question, Uba knew the answer but she just had to ask.

- I wasn't born yet, and I don't come from a line of medicine women so that is not in my memories, - said Uka.

- But I remember my mother telling us when we were children, - continued Uka, - what her mother had told her. She said that the medicine woman made her lie in her sleeping furs for almost all her pregnancy, and only allowed her to get up for her exercises and only when she was with her. She also gave her some special magic medicine, but I wouldn't know what it was. The leader objected that she stayed in her sleeping furs when she was not sick; but Uba said that she was sick in the womb and that she would lose the baby otherwise.

Uba was stunned. Why hadn't Iza remembered that? Maybe Iza was too old and weak when Ovra lost her first baby. Iza had been very sick herself and it had been mostly Ayla who treated Ovra, and Ayla didn't have the memories. If there was something her great-grandmother knew about women like Ovra, it had to be in her own memories. She would have to search deeply on them but she would find the elusive ancient knowledge, for that was the main characteristic of her kind; no knowledge was ever lost.

Uba felt acutely aware of her own shortcomings as medicine woman. At nine, almost ten, years old she was far too young and inexperienced. And she hadn't had the benefit of an older, more experienced medicine woman, to remind her of everything she knew, to train her properly. The loss of Iza and Ayla at such young age had been a hard blow to the clan's medicine woman, and to the clan itself. She could not be angry with Uka anymore, thanks to her insistence she now knew what to do... or would know... soon.

- Would you care to keep me company for a cup of tea Uka? - asked Uba, - This woman is grateful that you gave her the benefit of your wisdom.

Uka was pleased with the new attitude of the younger although higher ranked woman, and was about to answer when Groob came running into the hearth.

- Uba! Aba says you must go to see Aga now! She says the baby is coming!

The weather was clear and cool, without being cold. The soil was damp but not muddy. The spring filled the land with fresh green sprouts and beautiful flowers, and also animal life. Rabbits, hares and other small rodents fed on the new greenery and all kind of insects were attracted by the flowers attracting in turn all kind of birds that fed on them. Life was all around and Durc enjoyed the feeling of freedom as he run across the hillsides close to his cave. Cherished memories of a time when he roamed across the land looking for small game, armed only with his sling and accompanied only by Mama, filled his young heart. He was as happy as a wolf pup running tirelessly from bush to bush, from rock to rock.

The landscape offered him a wonderful view; the hillsides were covered with short sturdy grass, small bushes, and some scattered big trees, spaced widely enough so as not to become a forest. Big rocks here and there were covered with green moss. Downhill, beyond the small mountain creek, lay the immense green prairie entirely covered with new grass. Soon the grass would grow to become the tall yellow hay that would feed the immense herds that would attract not only the clan hunters, but also all kind of four legged hunters as well.

- Durc!, - the sound of his name cried out loud by his mother made him stop and look at her, - Don't run away like that! There might be wolves around.

Durc obeyed and walked reluctantly towards his stepmother. Uba was just a woman, weak and filled with fear, she was nothing like Mama. Durc checked the fold in his wrap for the round stones he kept there, took one out and put it in his sling. Uba could not protect him; he would have to protect her instead.

Despite the restraint added by Uba, Durc was just too happy to leave the cave if only for a short while. Broud had been in his worst tempered mood ever since he returned from the hunt. They had found a small herd of migrating deer and had managed to get a doe; but after the long winter the animal was so lean that it was barely worth the effort put into the hunt. Ovra had gotten sick in the return trip and Durc had seen her legs dirty with blood when she arrived to the Cave. Uka and Uba had been very worried about her, and Uba had ordered Ovra to stay in her sleeping furs and not to do any work at all. Broud and Mog-ur had exchanged angry looks and harsh words, and now Uka was taking care of Mog-ur's domestic needs. Worst of all, Broud had been very upset with the outcome of Aga's pregnancy. He had said nothing at all but Durc could tell he was very upset; Droog had not left his hearth since then, except to visit with Mog-ur, and everybody at the cave avoided talking about the subject. That behavior Durc could not understand; so when Uba announced that she was going out, looking for plants she needed for her healing magic, Durc had insisted in going out with her.

Uba looked apprehensively around; she was aware of all the effort put in finding the wolf that was stalking their cave and its lack of success. She was really afraid of that wolf and didn't like the idea of having Durc with her, but it was better than leaving him alone in the cave with an angry Broud. It had taken many frustrating days and many sleepless nights, but she had found in a deep recess of her memories what she had been looking for; and now she had found the plants and roots she needed, all three of them. The thought that she actually had a good chance of success where Iza and Ayla had failed gave her a strange feeling. It was not a feeling of pride, but one of wonder; wonder at the immensity of the accumulated magic knowledge of her line. Walking towards her mate, the medicine woman dropped respectfully to the ground asking for permission to speak.

- This woman has found everything she needed, - said Uba after Vorn tapped her shoulder, - now I would like to go back to the cave to prepare the new medicine for Mog-ur's mate, if the hunter doesn't object.

- We are lucky to have a medicine woman of such an ancient line; we are going back now. - said Vorn with great relief; he didn't like to be out with the woman and the boy either, not with that wolf around, - It will relieve Mog-ur of his worry if you give his mate this new medicine as soon as possible. We need Mog-ur not to be worried for tomorrow's ceremony.

Vorn turned around and began walking in the general direction of their cave, followed by his mate and her adopted son. Suddenly, from behind a big bush right in front of him, the object of all his fears appeared; a big menacing male gray wolf.

Vorn stopped in his tracks, signaled his family behind him to stay quiet, and faced the wolf armed with his spear. Carefuly, without breaking eye contact with the growling predator, Vorn tried to see if there were other wolves nearby. All the hunters agreed that the tracks they had been finding belonged all to one single wolf, but he was not taking chances; not when his valuable high ranked mate was out there with him.

Both man and beast locked eyes growling menacingly to each other, both standing their ground ten feet apart; then everything happened in an instant. Vorn sensed a movement behind him, the wolf turned suddenly around, and a stone whistled close to Vorn's head to hit the big predator in the upper side of its left hind leg. With a loud yip the big wolf turned away from the man, and escaped running on three legs followed by the screaming man and boy.

After a few paces Vorn stopped.

- Durc, stop! Don't leave Uba alone! Let the wolf go, he won't be coming back for a while.

While walking to the cave, Vorn explained Durc that a man's main duty was to protect the women, because only the women could make the children that would one day become hunters. The boy's questions led to explanations about the importance of the children, the boys and the girls, the relative importance of men and women, and so on. Durc's endless questions confused Vorn, and under other circumstances he wouldn't have answered, but this time he kept talking and talking. It was the adrenaline in his body that made him talk to find a release. They also talked about the wolf.

- You must not try to hit a wolf with your sling again, - said Vorn, - you cannot kill a wolf with a sling. You could only make him angry and attack you. You must do as I did, stand your ground with your spear and never, but never, loose eye contact. If the wolf attacks, you stab it in its chest; if the wolf turns, you stab it in its side. Never make the first move and always watch for other wolves.

- But Zoug says that you can kill a wolf with a sling, or a lynx, - countered Durc, - and he says Mama killed a hyena with her sling.

- Don't argue with me boy! - Vorn was annoyed, - Maybe Zoug is right, but not with a wolf this big, and certainly not with a small boy like you. And don't you talk about a cursed person! It can bring bad luck. The spirit might come and take you to the spirit world. Do you want a spirit to take you to the spirit world?

- No Vorn, - said Durc shivering, and not from the cold.

- But the wolf ran away from the stone of my sling, - insisted Durc after a while.

- Maybe he did, maybe he ran away from my spear, - said Vorn, - maybe he ran away because he was not hungry. Look! If you are not going to learn what I teach you, maybe you are not going to live long enough to become a hunter; maybe a wolf will get you and feed you to his mate and his puppies. Do you want that to happen Durc?

- No Vorn, - said Durc looking very contrite.

After getting to the cave, Vorn went to inform Broud of the wolf encounter while Uba went to their hearth to prepare the new medicine for Ovra. It wasn't one, but two different medicines that had to be administered at different times, and at different days. As the pregnancy progressed she would have to adjust one and change the other; it was very complicated and Uba wished she had someone to consult with. But as she finished her preparations she was feeling more confident with her memories. It was true that Ovra had bled during the hunt; but she had kept the baby, and now Uba would not allow her to take any more risks.

That night, after giving Ovra her new medicine, she spent some time talking reassuringly with Mog-ur and then went to sleep. The next morning would not be like the other mornings. She thought she knew what was going to happen, and she was somewhat uneasy about it.

The first lights of the morning sun found Goov in full ceremonial cloak in a small clearing just outside the cave. He hadn't slept well, but not as bad as the nights before. The medicine woman had assured him that this time Ovra had a good chance of having a baby and that had eased his worries about her. He didn't even think anymore in the harsh words he had exchanged with Broud when he told the leader that he was not allowing his mate to go out in hunts anymore. But he was uneasy about the effect that today's ceremony was going to have on his clan, and he had fallen asleep very late. Soon after, he woke up to the noise of Durc, who had a nightmare about a wolf coming to get him; the boy's mother got him to sleep again, but Goov had stayed awake the rest of the night.

The clan members began to gather outside the cave around their Mog-ur; even Ovra, flanked by Uba and Uka walked out. When almost everyone was outside, Mog-ur went back in the cave to summon the two last persons; once back outside, with all the clan gathered around him, he made the gestures that called the spirits and began the ceremony.

Dipping into the bowl that he had prepared earlier that same morning, he turned to Aga, who has holding up her naked baby, and drawing a stripe from between the baby's tiny brow ridges to the tip of the little nose with the red-ochre paste, Goov said:

- Ayla! The girl's name is Ayla!

The large pack of wolves busied themselves around the big old deer they had killed, soon the carcass would be so clean that only the hyenas with their bone cracking strong jaws would be able to feed from it. The leader of the pack was resting, with his belly full, but in a guarding position; checking for scavengers and other predators while the lesser ranked members of his pack fed on the last remains of their prey. His left hind leg still hurt, but he had not let that to slow him; nor had he opened a chance for other, younger males to defy him for the leadership of the pack.

He still remembered his encounter with the men. He had been observing the cave when a big male, although not the alfa male, had gone out with a pregnant female and a young cub. Curious to know where they were going, he had followed them from afar; the cub was an easy prey, but he was not interested, he had just fed that morning and was full. But then the men had turned around and walked towards him; he had been downwind and well hidden but obviously had been found, so he went out to face them. If they ran away he could go away too, or maybe he could get the cub.

But the big male had stood his ground; he smelled the fear but the man still stood his ground. So when the cub moved and distracted the male, he turned to run away; and then the rock hit his leg causing him a lot of pain. His old memories of those tall animals always included hard flung stones. He would have to be more careful in the future, but those animals had been hunting in his territory, and if they could hurt him they posed a danger to his pack. He could not afford not to pay attention to them.

- Ayla, - repeated Aga looking at her child.

No one else made a move. Everybody was looking at Broud, waiting to see what he would do. After a long minute when nothing happened, Droog came forward to look at the daughter of his hearth.

- Ayla! - He was very sure of himself. He had made a promise long years ago and he felt he owed it to the late first medicine woman. In fact he felt that the whole clan was in her debt, and that she had been treated undeservedly bad. Besides, he felt himself too old to care about Broud's possible reaction.

Following Droog's wake, all the clan members filed past the baby girl, saying her name aloud to familiarize themselves and their totem spirits with new addition to their clan. Broud stayed apart fuming, and then went directly to confront the young magician.

- Ayla is not a Clan name! - Gestured Broud angrily.

- It is now, - said Goov with a dismissive gesture.

- The spirits will not aprove! - insisted Broud, - It will make them angry!

- A promise was made to the spirits when the life of Borg's mate was saved from the sea, - said Goov ceremoniously, - and they would be angry if that promise was not kept. Besides, why do you care about a girl's name? It is a man's right to name all babies born to his hearth. Why are you so emotional about it, Broud? A leader has more important things to occupy his time than the name of a female baby.

Broud fought hard to keep his anger under control. He knew this was going to happen since the very day the girl was born, but he could do nothing to prevent it. To do so would be like a public admission that his hatred for the tall stranger still controlled his actions. But Droog would pay for this. Droog had always sided with Brun against him, and had never shown him the proper respect as leader; somehow, in due time, he would pay.

- Ayla, - the sound of Broud's voice sent a chill down Aga's spine.

The spring was running its course and the weather became dryer, the temperature warmed and the hunting better. Broud tried to go out hunting as often as he could, mainly because staying in the cave meant the he had to deal with infinite little problems he hadn't even know existed. _"Administrative matters of the Clan"_. That is what Mog-ur had said, Broud didn't eve know that word existed. What kind of word was _administrative_? Or _administration_? So what if the children required new wraps, or the women new baskets, or there were not enough fresh vegetables? Why did he have to notice if the slings were stiff or the hunters had too few spears? Why couldn't just everybody mind their own business? If a child needed a new wrap that was his mother's problem, and if she was too lazy to notice that was her mate's problem! Not his!

- The women are weak and lazy, - had said Mog-ur, - they need discipline and strong guidance. It is the men's responsibility to discipline them; but it is also the leader's job to inspire the men to assume that responsibility. At a Clan Gathering, the quality of the baskets and mats, of the wraps, of the tools, of the weapons, all reflect the presence or the lack of a strong guidance from the leader. A strong leader will train and motivate his men, who in turn will train and discipline their women.

- The next Gathering will be the summer after the next summer, - explained Goov, - and you will go as the leader of the first ranked Clan. You cannot afford to go with less than the best-crafted implements clothing and weapons, the best-fed women and children and the best-trained men. And I will help you to do just that.

And Broud spent his days at the cave checking for countless domestic matters, trying to organize the collective efforts of the men, women and children, the training of the boys, and so on. Mog-ur was always calling his attention to every single little aspect of his clan's daily life. Broud had never imagined that leading could be so boring and at the same time so extenuating; so he escaped from the cave the only way he could, and that was to go out hunting.

The summer was yet to begin and the big herds hat yet to come, but the mountain forest provided deer, goats, boars and, once, even a short horned rhinoceros, the smaller cousin of the steppe wooly rhino that was Broud's totem. The hunters didn't like too much hunting in the hillsides; the elusive, mostly solitaire animals that lived there were much more difficult to hunt and had less meat. They preferred the big herds that populated the steppe prairies, but the time for the herds was not there yet. The women foraged for all kind of greens and roots, but their contribution was less that usual because the wolves forced them to go out only with protection. After Vorn's wolf encounter, Broud ordered that no woman or child went out without at least two hunters to protect them. Life went on for the clan and one day, at the end of the spring or maybe at the beginning of summer, Uba gave birth to two healthy baby boys.

Vorn had never thought a man could be so happy, or so anxious; he spent the isolation period of his mate and her sons, before the naming day, walking in and out of the cave, in and out of his hearth, in and out of the sacred inner cave. Finally Mog-ur had to call him for a long talk to calm him down. And there was still the question of the names.

Vorn decided to name one of the boys Norm, after the man who had been his mother's mate before Droog. Norm had died in the earthquake that destroyed their cave the same summer that they found Ayla, when Vorn was in his weaning year. Vorn remembered the man as a strong proud hunter and never ceased to miss him.

I wonder... Will Uba be happy with the name I chose for the boy? thought Vorn. Uba never knew the man and Vorn was so grateful with his mate for bringing two boys to his hearth, that he wanted to choose names that would make her happy. Vorn thought of the powerful fearsome magician who had been the man of Uba's hearth; he had really feared the old deformed cripple, but he remembered Uba, as a baby, crawling up to sleep in The Mog-ur's lap. Creb, he thought, and felt very good with himself; Broud might not like it, but it was too little a thing to do for her and he knew it would make his mate happy. This was one of the very few things that he could do to let her know that he cared; Creb... and he walked to Mog-ur's hearth to tell him.

On the naming day of her babies, Uba woke up before dawn, very cold, and with the strange feeling that something was very, very wrong. Feeling around within her sleeping furs she checked for her twin babies and her heart almost stopped.

- Noooo! - The loud heartbreaking cry was not a silent word, and woke up the whole cave, - My baby! My baby is dead! Wake up baby, you have to wake up! This is your naming day Wake Up!

Oga ran to Vorn's hearth, and soon was followed by Aga and Ika. A few moments later, all the women were at Vorn's hearth trying to calm their medicine woman; only Ovra stayed at her hearth, and only because Mog-ur, her mate, did not allow her to go out of her sleeping furs. While Oga and Ika held the grieving mother, Ebra and Uka checked the babies. Then Ebra took the one still breathing and gave it to Aga to nurse so he would stop crying, while Uka wrapped the dead one in a small fur bundle for disposal. This was not the first time an otherwise healthy and strong baby stopped breathing for no reason during his sleep, and Uka had seen it before. She knew Uba would find it in her memories once she calmed down, maybe this was the reason for the seven-day period.

- He cannot be dead! - cried Uba, - He nursed well tonight, he was happy, and strong, and healthy! Give me my son, I will make a medicine and he will wake up...

- It is too late Uba, - said Uka, - he is already cold. He must have stopped breathing long ago during the night. Take hold of yourself! You are a medicine woman and a mother! You have another son and he needs you!

Goov approached Vorn's hearth and ordered everybody out.

- The isolation period is not over yet! - said Goov sternly, - Everybody out of the cave, the sun is about to appear and there is a ceremony to be held!

Uba stayed in the hearth with her babies while all the other members of the clan went outside. She waited for Goov's signal telling her that all the clan was gathered outside the cave, and that he was ready to begin. When the signal came, she went outside with one of her sons leaving the other inside. Later she would go out to bury him in a secret place only she would know. There would be no ceremonies, no burial, no name; no one would ever talk about him just as if he had never existed. It was harsh, but it was the way of the clan. Mog-ur went through the customary motions, calling the spirits and painting the baby's nose with red ochre, he announced:

- Creb, the boy's name is Creb.

- Creb, - repeated Uba, but she had no heart for it.

After Creb's naming day, Uba never recovered her former self; she became quiet and lonely. Her sadness cast a shadow over her hearth and even if she never failed to attend to the needs of her mate and her surviving son, and never neglected her duty as medicine woman, she never showed enthusiasm over anything. Durc tried to cheer her up but it was useless, and the boy began to show the same sad quietness of his adopted mother. Vorn was worried and it had a negative effect in his concentration during the hunts; Broud blamed it all on Durc's bad luck.

His constant references to the fact that he was deformed, and that his mother had been unmated when he was born, that she had lost her milk, that she had to be cursed when he was not even past his weaning year and so on, began to sink in Vorn's mind. Worried for his surviving son, Vorn began to neglect the boy's training, while at the same time tried to keep him as far as possible from baby Creb. Broud began to find ways to reduce as much as possible the time Brac, and specially Grev, spent playing with Durc. Every day he was not hunting he kept an eye on his mate's two sons, and whenever they began to play with Durc, he called them to help the women or to assign them any inconsequential job. In time it became clear to the boys that if they played without Durc, Broud would leave them alone; but if they went anywhere near their younger friend, Broud would put them to do whatever they hated most.

Groob did not have the same problem as Brac and Grev, but he was growing up and was now more interested in flint knapping than in anything else, even hunting. Durc stayed with Groob a few times while Droog showed him the basic techniques, but he was too young and too childish, and lacked the concentration and patience of an older boy. Droog had liked Ayla, and was sympathetic with her son, but Durc was too restless, made too many questions and affected his concentration; so after a while he began to ask the boy to go and play somewhere else when he was busy with Groob.

Ika was very conscious of her mate's status. After Broud, the leader, and Vorn, the inexperienced second-in-command, Crug was the highest ranked hunter; but his standing depended entirely of Broud's moods. So she actively discouraged any friendly relationship between Dorv and the boy who was the object of Broud's dislikes.

Soon Durc found himself bored and with nothing to do most of the time; but Brun had not forgotten the promise made to the spirit of the boy's mother. He took the boy under his protection and began to train him in more than just hunting lore. Grod was not comfortable around the boy, as he had never been around the boy's strange mother, but Zoug liked the boy and was sure that he would one day be the best sling hunter of the Clan; in fact, save for the lack of force he almost was already. At first Durc was bored hanging around the old men, but then he became interested in all the interesting stories they used to tell him.

The interest was mutual, for Durc had a treat no child of the clan had; he questioned everything. At first, Brun was annoyed by the boy's endless questions, but he soon found out that Durc questions were not lack of understanding but curiosity. Durc was fast to understand Brun and Zoug's explanations about hunting techniques and strategies, and remembered easily everything he was told about the traits of the animals that shared the land with the Clan, both prey and competing predators. But he was never satisfied with the "this is how it is always done" explanations and was full of "why not" questions; most of them ridiculous, but some surprisingly insightful. By midsummer, Durc was one of the most frequent topics of Zoug, Brun and Grod's late night conversations; and also of their conversations with Mog-ur.

The summer had been hard on Ovra, despite her enforced rest and Uba's new medicines; she bled frequently and was plagued with nausea, cramps and colic. But Uba's daily examination showed that the baby kept moving and growing inside her. One late summer day, her water broke; it was too early. She was supposed to give birth at least three weeks after Ona, and Ona had still at least one full moon cycle before her time was due. Uba was called in a hurry to Mog-ur's hearth.

Assisted by Oga and Uba, Ovra gave birth to a tiny little girl. The women had never seen so little a baby, they knew it was too little to survive; so Oga wrapped and put her aside for later disposal. Uba was overwhelmed with pain, too many babies were dying under her care, and now it seemed Ovra was going to die too.

The woman had been too weak to begin with, and lying in her furs, with he head turned to the wrapped bundle that was her death daughter, Ovra had lost all her will to fight for her own life. Blood was coming out of her like a river and she had not pushed out the afterbirth yet; she was pale and flacid, and Uba was desperate.

In a last attempt to save her life Uba followed a glimpse of a memory that flashed through her head. She put her hand inside the dying mother, all the way beyond her elbow, and took out the afterbirth. Then coming again inside Ovra she felt the place from where the blood was coming out. It was a big hole, almost the size of one of her fingers; applying pressure to control the hemorrhage with her left hand inside Ovra, Uba massaged hard Ovra's uterus with her right hand from outside, and after a few tense moments felt the first weak contraction. Slowly, with every new contraction, Uba felt the bleeding vein inside Ovra closing and removed her left hand, hurting from Ovra's uterus contractions. The woman was unconscious and very pale, but still breathing, and the bleeding was reduced to a minimum; Uba thought it was only the rest of blood still inside Ovra's womb.

Oga, Ebra and Uka were the only other women with Uba and Ovra at Mog-ur's hearth. Their faces showed awe and respect for the youngest of them.

- Anyone can tell that you are of Iza's line, - said Oga, - you are going to be the first medicine woman at the next Gathering. I am sure of that.

But Uba was too sad and too exhausted to acknowledge the praise from the leader's mate.

- Ovra is too weak to dispose of her baby, - said Uba, looking at Oga - I will do it for her now. You go to inform Broud.

Oga walked to where Broud was, seated with Mog-ur and most of the other men. Although they all feigned ignorance of what had happened at Mog-ur's hearth, their faces told her that they knew what she was about to announce.

Oga! - Uba was running towards her carrying Ovra's baby - She is alive! Ovra's baby is alive!

Uba stopped at some distance from the men. They could not "see" the baby until after the isolation period. Oga turned again to face her mate and dropped to his feet asking permission to speak.

- This woman is grieved to report, - she said once permission was granted, - that Ovra's baby is a girl.

Goov jumped up and went to Uba, but refrained looking at the baby waiting for Broud.

- The baby looks normal, - said Broud, - she may stay with her mother. If she lives until the naming day she will be accepted. But I doubt she will, it seems to me that Durc's bad luck is affecting our medicine woman's magic. What do you think Goov?

- I think we should wait until the naming day Broud, - countered Goov in a very dark mood that made Broud shiver in fear, - I would not dare to anger the spirits pretending to know in advance what they will decide.

Then looking at Uba, Goov pleaded with her.

- Take good care of my mate and her daughter, respected medicine woman. I know nobody could do it better than you.

Uba had taken the small bundle that was Ovra's daughter to bury it outside, when she felt the little thing moving; unwrapping the baby Uba was surprised to see it was alive. The tiny little thing didn't even cry, warmed by the furs she had begun breathing without anyone noticing it; it was then that Uba ran to tell Oga, and Broud had found the baby acceptable. Without thinking too much on the subject, Uba had instinctively taken Ovra's newborn daughter and breast-fed her; she had more than enough milk, and Ovra was too weak to do it. She was still unconscious after delivering, and her survival was far from assured. Uba knew that without her daughter Ovra's milk would not start, and then she would have to give the baby to another woman who could nurse her. The baby was so weak and tiny that remembered her of Durc, only Ovra's daughter was not deformed. Maybe she could keep her. Uba put Ovra's baby to her breast and felt her suckle again, but the baby was too weak and tired almost immediately. Uba was mixing some medicines for Ovra when the woman woke up and called.

- Where is my baby... Let me see my baby.

Uba could not deny the mother's plea.

- Here, - she said, putting the naked child face down on Ovra's chest, - it is a girl, and she is beautiful Ovra.

- She is alive, - said Ovra with great effort, - and she is hungry. Oh! I don't have milk, I never saw so little a baby. Please Uba, tell me she will live! - It obviously was too painful for Ovra to speak, and the baby's short-lived suckling only added to her pain.

- She was born too early, - said Uba, - and is too weak, but she appears otherwise healthy. She just needs to nurse so she can grow strong. If you don't have milk I can nurse her, I have more than enough.

- I don't want to give her up, she is mine! - The new mother's pain was evident, - I don't want her to die either. Please Uba! You can help me to make milk, I know you can!

Uba was confused with mixed feelings. The pain from her own loss, the longing for the tiny baby suckling from her, the emotions from the difficult delivery and all that blood, the faith Ovra and Mog-ur had in her magic and the suffering of the new mother; all together was too much for her young age. She wished Iza, or at least Ayla, were still alive to help her; then she felt Durc by her side, throwing his arms around her waist in a gentle embrace, and suddenly she knew.

Ovra had suffered to have this baby almost as much as Ayla had suffered to have Durc, and her sister had gone to unbelievable extremes to keep him; Ovra was bound to feel just he same. Her own pain over her lost son made her understand Ovra better, and more; she understood she could not replace him with the new baby, not if it implied Ovra loosing hers. That would have been wrong.

But helping Ovra was not going to be easy; the brutal manipulation of her insides that had saved the woman's life had also opened the way for all kind of evil spirits to enter. Soon the weakened woman was fighting a severe infection. For several days the fever was so high that made her delirious; Uba fought the infection aware that the fever could make her loose her milk, and the required medication could have the same effect. She watched carefully the dosages used, gave her additional medication to encourage milk production, and even suckled herself to keep the milk flowing while breast-feeding the baby girl along with her own son, to supplement what little milk she obtained from suckling her sick mother. By the time it was the naming day the evil spirits that caused the fever were being defeated, and even if she was too weak to walk without help Ovra insisted in carrying the baby for the ceremony herself. Both, Uba and Ovra, knew this was the last baby that Mog-ur's mate would ever have. Goov named the daughter of his hearth, Una.

Three weeks later Ona gave birth almost effortlessly to a healthy baby boy, Borg was beyond himself with joy and, seeing that, Ona dared to suggest him a name for the baby. Borg would have agreed to anything his mate had asked, at that moment there only existed three people in the whole world for him. Borg told Mog-ur to name the boy Norm.

Vorn felt cheated by fate. He had wanted to name one of his mate's sons Norm, and seeing her pain at loosing one of them had tried to make her feel better by naming the surviving boy after the powerful magician that had been the man of her hearth. That had made him feel very good with himself at the time, but his mate's gratefulness had been shadowed and minimized by her pain; and Vorn began to feel that maybe she didn't appreciate properly what he had done for her. And now, his sibling's son being given the same name he wanted for his mate's son, was simply bad luck. Didn't Broud always say that Durc brought bad luck? Maybe Broud was right, maybe it all was that deformed brat's fault.

Despite the frequent hunting accidents caused by Broud's recklessness, which he proudly mistook by courage and bravery, the summer bode well for the clan. No single member had died, save for Uba's son who had not been named and therefore didn't count, and four healthy babies had been born, two of them boys. Ovra and her baby girl were recovering satisfactorily and none of the many injures suffered by the hunters turned out to be serious, even Uba seemed to have recovered from her loss.

The wolf pack that shared their hunting territory had been seen several times from afar, but no more incidents like Vorn's encounter with the wolf had occurred. In time, the clan grew accustomed to the beautiful evocative wolf song that pierced the night whenever the moon was high.

The hunting had been good and the foraging as well. Although Goov stayed at the cave most of the times, Broud made Brun and Grod go with the hunters more often than not; arguing, not without reason, that if they wanted to keep their own hearths and the status of hunters, they had to hunt with the Clan. With the concourse of the more experienced men the clan's hunting efficiency improved almost to the level it had under Brun's leadership. The women went out foraging every day that the hunters were not gone hunting; they went always in pairs and always with their mates and grown children, that way there were two hunters protecting the foraging party at all times. The small river in front of the cave was surprisingly rich in fish and the nets made by the women under Grod's direction resulted amazingly effective, allowing for one single hunter to catch many fish in one single morning. The stream was too small and too far away from the sea for sturgeon, but the spawning season brought salmon, and the salmon brought brown bears. The salmon were fished and also provided the highly appreciated roe, and the bears provided fur, meat and fat.

The Clan had worked harder than no one ever remembered but by the end of the summer was well stocked with enough food to last the winter and well into next spring. Many hides of all kind of animals were properly stored waiting to be processed, meat was preserved and cached, fruits and vegetables prepared and stored; grass, hay and other fibrous plants were also dried and stored for future use in the making of mats and all kind of baskets. Even Uba's complex pharmacopoeia was fully replenished. When the first snow marked the beginning of a new winter, the Clan was ready. Broud was exhausted. Brun, Grod and Goov were satisfied


	3. Chapter 3: Learning to Learn

**Chapter Three: Learning to Learn**

- The Spirit of Light Dry Snow took the Spirit of Granular Snow as his mate and after a time she gave birth to a Mountain of Ice far to the north. The Sun Spirit hated the glittering child...

Durc was seated between Vorn and Uba, who was carrying little Creb, watching Brun tell the ancient legend for the first time in his life. Old Dorv, who left to walk the spirit world while the clan was at the Clan Gathering the summer of the year when Durc was born, was who usually told that and many other Clan legends. Aba was the other storyteller of the clan, but she had her own repertory of clan legends and never told the ones old Dorv used to tell. So none of the young members of the clan had seen that particular legend before.

It had been Broud who, instigated by Goov, ordered Brun to assume the role that the passing of the old hunter had left vacant. Goov had pointed out the importance of the legends to pass on to the new generation of the clan, their ancient wisdom, their traditions, their beliefs and in a whole, their entire cultural legacy. The young members of Broud's Clan, mostly boys, had grown up listening to Aba's stories only and, therefore, tended to regard storytelling and legends as a woman's thing. I was usually the older members of the clan who assumed the important role of storytellers, but Zoug, just like the son of his mate, was not a man of many words. Brun was the second oldest man in the clan and Broud had been more than happy to assign him an old man's job.

- But Durc was more impatient than anyone. - continued Brun - 'The mog-ur will never come back,' he said. 'Our totems don't like the cold, they had gone away. We should leave, too'

- Durc! He was called Durc, Vorn, just like me! - said Durc turning to the man of his hearth.

- Stay quiet Durc! - said Vorn, annoyed, - Let me see the story!

- But... Uba! He said Durc!

- Yes, I know, - said Uba, - This is the Durc you were named after. This was Mama's favorite legend.

Mama's favorite! The storytelling suddenly took a whole new dimension for the young boy. He stayed at his place not missing the smallest detail of Brun's performance; not daring even to breathe hard.

- And what happened to Durc and those who left with him? - Brun was reaching the end of the story, he was satisfied with his own performance and he hadn't missed the effect it caused in his audience, specially the change of attitude in the deformed boy; and he liked it. He thought that maybe he would become a good storyteller, so he went on telling the terrible things that might have happened to the young travelers, and finished, - ... and no one ever saw them again.

- Vorn, - asked Durc as soon as Brun finished, - Do you think this Durc might have found a place to live with his friends?

- No! - said Vorn, - He disappeared! Don't you ever listen? If you won't learn to listen, you might as well disappear too!

Durc stayed seated, crestfallen, while the man left the group gathered around the fire, and headed to his hearth. Uba had paled at his words, she thought she could have been listening to her very sister; Ayla had always thought like that too. Brun hadn't missed anything; the boy's question, the man's answer, and the medicine woman's reaction. He was also remembered of the strange woman that he had grown to admire to the point of wishing she had been the son of his hearth.

- When the Clans still lived in the lands to the north, before the Others came... - Brun began to tell another legend, but he was thinking in other things as well; important things that had to be taken care of, soon.

The three strange figures entered the dark cave; with the light of the torches each of them carried casting strange ominous shadows in the dark walls. The sight was frightening, only there was no one to frighten since the cave was empty save for the three of them.

The man walking in front, tall by the standards of his race, was covered with a ceremonial cloak made from the entire pelt of a cave bear with its head still attached to it. He was lean, his skin grayish and his eyes sunken under his heavy brow ridges; but his powerful gaze talked of an ancient wisdom well beyond his age. Out in daylight, without his bearskin, a stranger would only see a weak skinny and unhealthy tall man; but here he commanded powerful forces that clearly made him the leader of the group. To his right, one step behind, another man followed half hidden under a similar ceremonial cloak, this one made out of a young bison. The horned head towered higher than that of the taller man; and the strong muscular built of the old man carrying it spoke of a lifetime of successfully challenging the forces of nature. To the left, and two steps behind the leader, walked another bearskin-covered man; only his cloak was not made out of a cave bear but of a brown bear pelt. He was younger than the second but older than the first man, and his enormously developed musculature made him the biggest if not the tallest of the trio.

Goov led the small group to a small area within the sacred cave curtained from the rest by hide covered frames, similar to windbreakers. The three men sat in a small circle, laid their torches in the holders already prepared for it, and stared reverently at the sacred cave bear skull held high by the magician of the clan. After a long moment Goov put the skull down in the center of the circle and drank the strong datura tea from the bowl Grod offered him, Brun drank second and Grod emptied the bowl. Goov took the now empty bowl put it overturned in the ground between his legs and began beating a steady rhythm with his bare hands, soon the three men were moving to the rhythm while seated around the cave bear skull. When the timing was right Goov began.

- Spirit of Bison, Totem of Brun...

The young Mog-ur appealed to the powerful totem spirit to attend the ceremony on behalf of the man who had ruled the clan so efficiently for so long...

- Spirit of Brown Bear, Totem of Grod...

The pleading with Grod's totem was similar in tone and nature, and when it was finished it was time for appealing to Ursus, mog-ur's totem and protector of all the Clan. Goov took a little of dried club moss spores from a pouch he carried and with his other hand took his torch. Then he let the spores drop over the torch and blew in a manner that made them catch fire and rain over and around the cave bear skull.

- Great Ursus, Protector of the Clan, - Goov was using the silent formal language appropriate for these ceremonies. - This men who live in a cave and wear fur as once the Cave Bear showed us, would beg you to let no evil come to this Clan while the cold season keeps them confined. Most honored of all Spirits, your people ask you to join with them in their search for the proper ways to ensure the well being of your Clan.

And then the three men, their mental powers enhanced by the magic preparation of datura, began each a search in their racial memory, through their evolution, reaching back far enough so they could merge that memory and join their minds telepathicaly. It was nothing like when The Mog-ur, the great Creb, used the tremendous power of his massive brain to fuse their minds into one and direct it; but the roots of the gift that only in the powerful magician had been fully developed, were common to all clan men. They wandered in a sea of visions and sensations of the memories of all the creatures before them, but without direction they were like leaves flying randomly in the winds of the great storm of evolutionary visions. Their only protection against getting lost in the spirit world was that link between their three minds holding together for dear life, and the confidence of those who had been there before. In a way it was better, for the exciting sense of adventure and danger; but they missed the comforting sense of guidance that came form Creb.

After coming back to the present, the three men went back to their own hearths to sleep, completely exhausted but utterly satisfied. The private ceremony had been Brun's idea, and Zoug was originally supposed to be the fourth in the small group; but the old hunter was not feeling well these last days, he had been coughing and having some trouble breathing. He said he didn't feel in good enough shape for a ceremony, but he would attend the meeting to be held the next day in the sacred inner cave. They had an important job ahead, they had to plan the management of Broud through the long coming winter; It was a very important task, essential for the well being of their clan. Asking Ursus for guidance and inspiration on that meeting had been the real reason for today's ceremony.

Vorn! - the voice of the former leader still made the young hunter jump into atention, - I would like to have Durc coming to my hearth to help me with the new bola I am making, if the second-in-command won't object.

Vorn felt uncomfortable in the presence of Brun. He outranked the man now, but he had reacted as the lowest ranked hunter answering to the leader's call. He was inclined to deny his request, if only to ascertain his authority and save face; but he didn't like having the boy too close to the new son of his mate, and he didn't want him playing with the sons of Broud's mate either. Broud had made it clear that he wanted him to keep the boy away from the sons of his hearth, and that posed a problem to Vorn. If he sent the boy to help Uba, his bad luck would inevitably linger too close to the new baby; the only other alternative was to keep the boy occupied himself, but then the bad luck would come to him instead. Besides, he really had begun to dislike the boy and his stupid, endless, nonsense questions about everything he tried to teach him.

- Fine! - Vorn hadn't actually said anything, but his body language as he dismissively turned his back on the former leader clearly conveyed the meaning. If the man wanted to put up with the stupid boy, he would state no objections.

Brun put the boy to cut the long leather thongs for the new bola and was surprised by his manual dexterity. The long thongs of aurochs leather had to be cut at a constant width, and each one had to be cut lengthwise at one of its extremes, in several, very narrow, strips of uniform width. Those strips were then to be wrapped around the round stones and tied together in a way that secured the stone without compromising the strength of the thong. Durc's ability to make precision cuts in the tough leather, even if he was using a new knife specially crafted by Droog to fit his hand, exceeded any expectation for a boy his age.

- Well done Durc, - said Brun, - now observe the quality of the leather. If it is too supple it will extend when throwing and the stones will get loose and fall; you could kill a fellow hunter if that happened. If it is too stiff, you would not be able to tighten it enough around the stone and it will get loose too; also, if it is too stiff, it tends to develop cracks that cause the narrow strips to break.

Durc studied the leather thongs he had just made trying to memorize its texture, he had a lot of questions, but he was learning to control his curiosity as Mog-ur had been teaching him to.

- When a hunter is teaching you something, - had said the mog-ur, - you don't interrupt him; it is disrespectful, and most of the times it is also useless. The answers to most of the questions you make are things that you are going to be told anyway, if only you have the patience to wait. Patience is a very important quality in a man, specially in a hunter, - had explained the young magician, - children are impatient not grown boys like you. You are long past your growing year, Durc, this is your learning year and you must learn to behave like a man.

Durc forced his concentration in the seemly endless details of bola making, he began to understand all the mistakes he had made last winter when he had tried to copy Brun's bola; but some things he really didn't understand, he sure had some questions.

- Now watch carefully these stones, - said Brun showing him several stones of different shapes and sizes, - We will need two stones of identical size and almost perfect round shape, and then another one identical to them. - The concept of three had been very difficult for Brun to understand; most people understood two, wise men like first ranked hunters and leaders like Brun understood three, only mog-urs understood more than three. Brun assumed, correctly, that the boy would not understand more than two, thinking on each stone individually was easier.

- The weight of the stones is important too, said Brun, - if they are too light they will not go too far and won't wrap the thongs strongly, if they are too heavy you will lose accuracy. Here, take this bag, stand up and extend your arm.

Durc obeyed and Brun began putting stones in the bag the boy was holding with his extended arm.

- Tell me when it is too heavy and don't be brave, - said Brun, - be precise.

- This is how much you can lift, - said Brun when Durc told him enough, and taking off some of the stones, continued, - and this is how much your bola should weigh. Now feel the difference. - and Brun proceeded to put the removed stones back in the bag, and remove them again a few times. - Can you feel the difference?

- Yes, Brun

- Now select your three stones, see that they must weigh as much as this bag. Round stones, of the kind you find in mountain creeks and rivers are usually the best. - And Brun watched as the boy studied the several stones at his disposal and selected three of them.

- These two are similar in weight, but the other one is too heavy. You see? It would unbalance the weapon. And the first one is not round enough, - explained Brun, - This other one is better, and we can break off the third a little, here, to make it lighter and rounder.

Brun changed one of the stones, and trimmed the other with his hammerstone. Then gave them to Durc.

- Check these out, - said Brun. - I think these are perfectly matched for you.

- For me? - Durc was surprised - Are you making this bola for me?

- No young man. WE are making this bola for you. - Brun was really enjoying himself, - Since you wanted so much to make you a bola last winter, I thought we better made sure this time you make something useful. Now go back to your hearth, we will continue tomorrow.

Durc was all excited about working with Brun, and over the three days it took to make the weapon he spent most of his time with the former leader. Brun could make a bola in half that time, even in one single day if hurried, but the process of getting the boy to actually help and explaining him in every detail the construction of the weapon, took extra time. He explained Durc how to tie the stones, the special technique to wrap the stones with the leather, how to measure the length of the thongs to fit his arm, the special knots to tie the thongs together, the importance of proper balance and so on. Durc listened without asking more than the absolute minimum of questions, and practiced every step of the process, but when the weapon was ready he still had many questions that had not been responded.

- Why don't we use deer leather?

- Not tough enough.

- Mammoth leather?

- Too tough

- Why not use cord?... sinew?... two stones?... more stones?... long stones?... other kind of knots?... more knots?... longer thongs?... shorter thongs?

And also...

- What kind of animals can I hunt with this?... How big?... How small?... Why...? Why not...?

After a while even Brun was annoyed.

- Do you really want to go on talking, Durc? - said Brun finally, - Or do you want to practice with your new weapon.

- Can we practice now Brun? - asked Durc, full of enthusiasm.

- Yes we can, - answered Brun, - I have already asked Morg-ur to let us use the inner cave.

Goov had been watching Brun teaching Durc, and was satisfied to see it going on as planned. Durc's training by Brun had been one of the tasks the four of them had agreed to in their planning meeting. Zoug reported that Durc had already mastered the sling, one dead fox and one scared-off wolf attested to it; He was done with Durc and now wanted to work with Brac and Grev. They also agreed that Durc was too skinny, despite being evident that he was healthy and strong; the bola training was thought as a way for him to build heavier musculature. It was thought that Groob's sling training should wait to give way to his toolmaking training by Droog; the man was getting old and the clan needed a skilled toolmaker. Training Brac and Grev would be difficult because Broud always insisted in training them himself, therefore they had to find ways to keep Broud occupied; not an easy task in winter. Grod, being a former second-in-command, was put in charge of finding time consuming occupations for Broud; he would tell Goov of those tasks and the mog-ur would find ways of putting Broud up to them.

Something had to be done with Borg, the elder of the cave decided, the man spent too much time around his mate and her son. It was not well thought of a young healthy man to spend so much time in his hearth or around women; it was decided that he was to be put in charge of training the boys in hunting methods and tactics. The man was too inexperienced to do it properly, but he liked talking and being around boys and they liked him too. It was thought that he could learn to be a good teacher if he asked Crug for help; also he was the most apparent future second-in-command and it wouldn't hurt if Brac got used to listening to him. Besides, Crug was currently the best hunter of the clan and he had been the man of Borg's hearth and the one who trained him. Goov would make sure that Broud put the young man to that important task, and Grod would see to it that Crug found the way to get involved.

All the men of the clan learned how to make spears, but Grod was considered to be the best spearmaker of the clan. Since Grod had no boys to train at his hearth, his skill would be lost to the clan unless he trained someone else's boy. It was usually the man of his hearth who taught a boy the art of spearmaking and Grod had no patience with children, especially boys from other hearths who reminded him that he had none; but the other two men at the meeting were adamant, he would have to choose a boy who was willing to learn and train him. It was agreed to give him time until mid winter to make his decision known.

Thanks to Broud's frantic hunting activity during the summer, food was not a concern this winter; but many other aspects of the clan's life required some planning. Igra was going to be a woman anytime soon, and would then need a mate. There were only two boys of the right age for her, Brac and Groob. By the next summer Brac would be as old as Borg was at his manhood hunt, but Brac was being trained to be leader one day, and training leaders took more time; Broud had been three years older at his manhood hunt. Groob, on the other hand, was one year younger than Brac; he would have to be pushed really hard if he was to be made a man soon. Besides it was unlikely that Broud would agree to make Groob a hunter before Brac; and more so because if Igra was given to Groob, there would be no woman available for Brac. The next girl in age was Aga's newborn, so a girl, or a woman, would have to be traded for at the coming Clan Gathering. It was decided that Groob should be trained hard so he could be made a hunter before Brac was; but that had to be made without interfering with his toolmaking training by Droog. A plan was needed to justify the delaying of Brac's manhood hunt, Zoug and Goov were put in charge of that. And there was Grev to think of too. He would still be a boy at the coming clan gathering, but too old to wait until the next one for a mate; however that was too far into the future, so it was decided to postpone that planing until the next winter.

Goov, in his role of spiritual leader, had other concerns as well. There were four babies whose totems hadn't been revealed yet; it was unwise to have them spending the coming winter without the protection of a totem. Norm and Una were too young yet, but time was due for Creb and Ayla. Goov had never revealed a baby's totem before, and was not very sure of his own ability to do it right. The Mog-ur had always been surprisingly insightful when revealing totems, Goov doubted he could do it half as well. Soon it would be too cold to go outside to hold a ceremony, so he could not postpone it too much; he would have to meditate on the totems for the new babies right away. But now that should wait though, Brun and Durc were coming to his hearth and they all would be going to the inner cave for the boy's bola training.

_Twack - twack!_

Two of the three stones hit the wooden stump half buried in the cave's soil and bounced away. Goov had asked Grod to get the log and dig the hole to put the new target in place. They had located it some three feet away from the wall, at one end of the longest axis of the spacious cave.

- Well done Durc! - said Brun, - Keep practicing!

- It is too difficult!, - said Durc, - I can't get them to wrap around the target.

- Don't worry about that yet; you must work first in your aim, which is fairly good by now, and then you must work in your range which is very poor yet. - insisted Brun, - Once you have aim and range then we work in your handling technique. Getting the bola to wrap around the target is a very difficult skill to master. - Brun remembered he had failed to do it at the last clan gathering, and also at the last mammoth hunt, but he kept it to himself.

- My arms hurt, - complained Durc.

- Women's arms hurt. Maybe you should stop training and go help Uba with the cooking. - said Brun, but made a mental note to observe more carefully the boy's performance; there was no point in damaging the young lad's undeveloped muscles. But Brun knew muscles would develop with hard use. - Keep practicing!

While Durc slowly retrieved his bola and walked to his throwing mark, Brun resumed his conversation with Goov. The two of them had been watching the boy and, since the mog-ur was in the inner cave, no one could ask him permission to come in. Having his hearth blocking the access to the sacred inner cave ensured Goov's privacy whenever he wanted, and the power to share that privacy with whomever he wanted. Only Broud, as the leader of the Clan, could order him to relocate his hearth and Goov knew he would never dare to.

- What do you think then? - asked Goov looking at the boy.

- I am not all that sure, - said Brun; he was free to express doubt now that he was not leader anymore, and sharing his doubts with someone as intelligent as Mog-ur felt good - but I made this decision the day I accepted him, so many years ago. I only worry about Uba; not for her, she is only a woman, but I don't know how this would affect her magic. He is upset enough now, and we cannot afford to have our only medicine woman upset; she is too young yet and may not be experienced enough to handle it.

- We are not doing this tomorrow, Brun, maybe not even this winter; we have time to prepare everyone involved. Boys grow up Brun, they leave their hearths, it is not something unheard off; we are only speeding it a little. When the time comes, she will find it to be the best for the boy. - Mog-ur was very confident on that. - But you must prepare Ebra, she might think she is too old for it.

- Don't worry about Ebra, - Brun's stance was dismissive, - when the time comes, she will be looking forward to it. Look at the boy, - said Brun changing the subject, - he has a really weird way to hurl the bola. It seems to work just fine for him though.

- Yes, it does, - said Mog-ur thoughtfully, - maybe it is because his arms and legs are different...

Brun could tell Goov was not saying everything that he was thinking, but it was a common trait among mog-urs and acolytes so he didn't bother to ask.

Goov observed the strange boy; he was different indeed. His legs and, specially, his arms resembled that of his mother. Could it be true that he was a mixture like Ayla had claimed? But Ayla was a woman, women were not adept at philosophic thinking. What could have Ayla known about such esoteric knowledge as the mixing of spirits? He would have to meditate on that.

However, two things were already clear to him. First one; Durc was special and very important to The Clan, like a gift from one's totem. Droog was right on that one, but the toolmaster had been blinded by the obvious; he knew now that it was Durc, not Ayla, the gift from the spirits. Ayla had been only the means, she had fulfilled her role and left; because she hadn't died, he still couldn't admit to that because he didn't understand how it could be possible, but she hadn't died and he already knew that. Second one; Vorn could not be trusted with the boy's training. He wasn't sure about Brun either, but the old leader had guilty feelings about Broud's unsuccessful training so one could count on him to give his best in Durc's training; and Brun's best was the absolute best there was, nothing to be lightly dismissed.

- Durc! - Brun's voice shaked Goov out of his meditations. - That will be enough for today. Let's go back to our hearths, I have some things to do, and later on I am going to be telling some legends at the central fire.

- Yes Brun.

- How are your arms?

- Arms are fine, Brun. - In fact Durc's entire little body ached, every single muscle; but he would not admit to pain, certainly not in front of Brun.

It was late in the morning, the bright sun warmed the skin of the clan's mog-ur as he walked in the snow. The winter had just began, and although the snow covered the entire landscape it was not more than a thin layer. Being so close to the cave and its disturbing smells, disturbing for the wildlife at any rate, it was unlikely that he could be in danger, however Goov was armed with a heavy spear, and paying constant attention to the surroundings as was instinctive for the Clan.

The old-looking young man walked downhill to the not-yet-frozen creek and found a big rock at the south bank of the west running small river to sit down and meditate. The Mog-ur, his mentor, used to walk alone not too far from the cave when meditating on the totem spirits of newborn babies, and Goov decided to do the same. First he looked around to the beautiful winter landscape and tried to relax and clean his mind of all the things that troubled him; then he concentrated on the first of the babies. Little Creb was younger than little Ayla, but Goov instinctively thought of the boy first.

Creb was a survivor; unlike the old magician, who was his namesake, Creb was a strong, healthy, fast-growing baby. Always hungry; when Uba had been occasionally nursing Una to supplement Ovra's milk, both babies couldn't be nursed at the same time because Creb pushed the baby girl away from the breast she was nursing even if he had enough milk at the other breast. And he had a strong grip, her mother's arms were marked from his little nails. He was a quiet baby when left alone on his mother's sleeping furs, but whenever her she came close he raised his arms and began making suckling noises.

Goov closed his eyes and tried to picture the boy's totem in his head, but all he could see was Creb in the furs, raising his arms and opening his mouth; just like a baby bird in his nest. But... a bird? Birds were women's totems; except, maybe, hunting birds; and even them were women's totems, like Ona's Owl. Then Goov remembered a conversation, at the past Clan Gathering, with a young hunter of another clan who had been talking about eagles; eagles almost always hatched two eggs, and usually only the strongest one survived. The eagle was a strong hunting totem, but was it Creb's totem? Goov remembered the baby's naming day; his little hand had grabbed his wrist while he was painting his nose with red ochre, and it had hurt him. Only seven days of life and his grip was like... an eagle's claw? Goov felt relieved, this was too evident to be wrong; The Eagle, it is.

Feeling more confident and relaxed, the young mog-ur set to the task of finding Ayla's totem. The Cave Lion? No way! Goov tried to think about the grown baby, but he had seen too little of her. Now that he thought of it, her mother seemed to try to make her pass unnoticed; almost as if she was trying to hide her. Maybe from Broud? All he could remember was seeing the baby, always holding in her hands one or two of the many small objects her mother used to keep her distracted; and always putting them in her mouth, or hiding them under her furs, where she had more cached. With sudden inspiration Goov decided; The Ground Squirrel! And it was an appropriate totem for a girl.

Having solved his most immediate concerns, the clan's mog-ur walked back to the cave; and realized, as he approached the entrance, that unless he knew it was there, he wouldn't have noticed it. No wonder the youngsters nicknamed it The Den. Despite facing south it was a good cave, and could become a good home for his clan. But he was uneasy about how he had taken on the task of manipulating his leader; of taking the effective control of the Clan's affairs off his hands to put it in the hands of this sort of council of elders that he lead. Would Ursus approve of that? What would he do when his council mates began to die of old age? Was this too much against Clan traditions?

It was time to travel to the spirit world to find out. He hadn't do it lately, why with Ovra's difficult pregnancy and delivery he had no heart for it. But he was anxious, he needed it; and now the Clan needed it too. He decided to tell Ovra that he would skip lunch, and then prepare the sacred datura drink. He would held the totem ceremonies at first light the next morning, but he would be visiting the spirit world this very afternoon.

It was not dark, but he could not see anything. The bright luminous mist surrounded him and gave him the nauseating sensation of floating weightless into the void, but Goov was used to that sensation and controlled it. All kind of sounds filled his ears, they were the sounds of rivers and waterfalls, of the wind and the sea. The sounds of all the living creatures in the world, the birds and the fish, the animals that were hunted and the hunters, the Clan and the Others too; but the sounds told him nothing and he could see nothing. He waited, knowing what was coming he found himself anticipating it; maybe this time it would be different, maybe this time Ursus would talk to him.

Out of nowhere, a dark shadow began to form in front of Goov, he could feel it even before he could see it; he knew it was Ursus, and with Ursus came the cold. Despite the heavy bearskin cloak he was wearing, Goov began to shiver, but he fought the cold sensation; he wanted to be in control, he dismissed the cold and ceased to feel it by the sheer force of his will. He could see Ursus clearly now, walking slowly on his hind legs towards him.

- Great Ursus, Protector of the Clan! - signaled Goov reverently - This man has honored you for as long as he has lived. This man has devoted his life to the well being of your Clan and to the observance of the ancient traditions that are your legacy of wisdom. Don't desert this man and give him the benefit of your advice!

- Honored Spirit of Cave Bear who taught us to live in caves and wear fur, - Goov was using the silent language of mog-urs, - give this man a sign to show if his choice of actions, taken for the benefit of your clan, is the correct choice. Give this man a sign of what the future requires from him to best serving your clan!

The great Ursus moved his head up, growled without making a noise and moved his forelegs as if to say something, but Goov could not understand what it was. He had the heart tightening feeling that what was going to happen next was somehow his fault, he felt that he had to be able to understand Ursus, but he could not. Then from behind The Great Cave Bear, the Gray Wolf Totem Spirit appeared and growled at Goov. Unlike Ursu's growl, the Gray Wolf's growl was not silent but loud, although somehow not menacing; just then the Spirit Cave Bear came down on his four legs, turned around and having said nothing, disappeared into the mist. Goov was left alone with the growling Spirit Gray Wolf, who was making all kind of wolf noises; he yipped, barked, and growled several different growls. All the time moving his head and looking at him with his yellow wolf eyes, as if waiting for something, as if waiting for an answer. But Goov could not understand the Spirit Gray Wolf; unlike Ursus, he was standing on his four legs at all times and therefore could not talk.

- Talk to me Spirit of Gray Wolf! - demanded Goov - I cannot understand you!

But the Spirit Gray Wolf didn't talk to Goov, he just kept barking and growling. After some time, Goov began to float, and the Gray Wolf who stayed standing still, disappeared in the mist as Goov floated away; but even if he couldn't see him, Goov could still hear him. After a while, the voice of the Wolf ceased for a moment, and then raised in a loud blood-chilling howl that lasted seemly forever. The bright mist slowly gave way, first to darkness and then to a dark warm red glow; while the eerie, melancholic sound of the wolf song repeated itself fading in the distance.

And Goov suddenly found himself seated alone in the sacred cave, at his ceremonial fire, all cold and sweaty. He was confused; this was not the first time that Ursus left him with the Gray wolf, in fact this was happening more often than not and Goov felt that it was somehow his fault that Ursus refused to talk to him. And what was it that the Gray Wolf was trying to say? What was it that the Gray Wolf wanted? It simply eluded him; he didn't even understand why it was always the Gray Wolf who appeared with Ursus in his travels to the spirit world, staying after Ursus left, and not his own totem or any other totem spirit. Goov gave up one more time. He was exhausted, it was late at night and, save for Crug who was on guard duty somewhere near the entrance, everyone was sleeping; but Goov could not find the resolution to go to his hearth to sleep too. Past the small passage that lead to the main cave, the main cave itself and the narrow passage to the outside, a lone wolf could be heard howling to the moon.

Durc was standing completely still right in the middle of the creek that ran in front of the cave, or rather in the middle of where the creek should have been; the small water stream was not only frozen, but buried under a waist high layer of snow. His target was a small tree stump half buried in the snow, farther than he had ever launched, farther than the longest axis of the men's cave. Durc concentrated the way Brun had taught him.

- Don't throw until you are ready, - had said Brun, - feel the air, feel your weapon, feel your target, and listen to your totem. You will know when it is time, don't hesitate or the right moment will pass.

It was the right moment. With a sudden blur of movement Durc hurled his small made to fit bola, and let go. The three stones, tied together, flew with a fast whirling motion around their center directly to the target, and past it. For an instant, Durc, expecting the noise of the stones hitting the tree stump, thought he had missed the throw; but suddenly, held by its leather thongs, the three stones wrapped tightly around the wooden pole and stayed there, for the first time.

Durc wanted to jump high in the air, to voice his happiness in a loud victory scream, to run towards Brun and hear his praise; but he did nothing of that. Remembering Brun's training he breathed deep, and feigning a level of indifference he was far from feeling, walked slowly to retrieve his weapon. Trying not to be obvious, he looked at Brun while walking. The former leader was standing at the mouth of the cave talking to Grod and not even looking his way, but Durc could see from his posture that the old man had seen his throw and that he was pleased with him. Durc felt elated, Brun didn't have to say a world, his unspoken acknowledgment was more than enough a prize for him.

Nearby, but out of the way of Durc's throwing line, Brac was practicing on a hide-covered bundle of snow with a new spear just made by Grev. Durc retrieved his bola and walked to where his two friends were.

- This is a very good spear, Grev, - Brac was saying, - solid, straight, well balanced, and very sharp pointed. It cut very easily through that bison hide. I think you are finally learning, little brother.

- At least it didn't split upon hitting the ground, - said Grev basking in his brother's praise, - like the other one.

- Let's better not talk about the other one. - agreed Brac, - this one is very well made.

- Well, I only straightened it, - said Grev, - Grod sharpened and fire-hardened the point. He also selected the shaft. But look, here comes Durc; he is turning out to be the new bola expert. Nice throw Durc! It looks like if you finally mastered it.

- Maybe I was just lucky, - said Durc, - I still don't know exactly how I did it! One thing I do know, I am not practicing anymore today. That way I can tell Uba that I made it and I don't have to say that I couldn't repeat it. How did your last spear turned out?

- Brac liked it, - said Grev showing off.

- It is very straight, - said Brac, - no spear can be bad if it is perfectly straight, like this one. - He could see his younger brother really appreciated his praise, and it cost nothing to make the boy happy.

- Meaning that you sharpened it, didn't you Grev? - Durc was teasing his friend, - It is obvious that Grod straightened it.

- It was all the way around, I straightened it, and it is a normal size spear, - countered Grev, - not like that baby size bola of yours. What are you going to hunt with it, Durc, hamsters?

- Maybe, - said Durc picking up the mood, - but you don't have to worry Grev, I am going to give you half of them, so you don't have to starve in winter!

The boys had not had many chances of being together lately and were really enjoying themselves. Durc and Grev, that is, Brac didn't enjoy childish behavior so much anymore.

- Borg doesn't like to play so much anymore, does he? - asked Durc to no one in particular.

- He is not a child anymore, - answered Brac, - and we are not children anymore either; we must begin to become serious. Borg has been explaining us a lot about hunting, it is much more complex than I thought and there is so much to learn. You too should listen to him sometimes, Durc.

- But Borg doesn't know much more than you do Brac, - said Durc, - he is not an experienced hunter or anything like that. And, isn't there Broud always training you? Broud is the best hunter there is. - Durc admired the volatile leader just as much as he feared him, and envied his friends, just a little bit, for the attention they received from Broud.

- Borg is a great hunter, - said Grev, he liked the attention received from the young hunter and had begun to idolize him, - he's been hunting two years now and Crug is always teaching him new things.-

- And Broud doesn't like to explain, - said Brac, - adults in a general sense don't like to explain. They just tell you what they did and how brave and skillful they are, especially Broud. I think Crug is the best hunter, and Grev is right, Crug is still training Borg. So when I want to understand something Borg explains it to me, and if he doesn't know the answer, he asks Crug.

- Crug is not the best hunter, I say Broud is, - insisted Durc, - that is why he is the leader. Look how much meat we have stored this winter, it is going to last forever! And, remember the hunt dance last night? He took that cow by her horns and wrestled her while the other hunters came running to make the kill. - Durc was enthusiastically mimicking Broud wrestling down the young female aurochs.

- He is very brave and very strong, - conceded Brac, - but he had to stop the cow that way because he broke his spear and only wounded her instead of killing her. Think of what would have happened if it was a full-grown cow; it would have escaped, or maybe would have killed him.

- And Crug told Borg, - added Grev, - that when Brun was leader they had just as much meat, but the hunters didn't get injured so often.

Durc looked at his two friends with absolute disbelief. They were talking about Broud, nothing less than the bravest and strongest hunter of the clan, the leader! And they were the sons of his hearth!

- Look Durc, - said Brac, resting his hand on the boy's shoulder and getting serious, - you are very lucky to have Brun training you, I wish he was training me. He was the best leader of all the clans, the best there's ever been. And if you think Broud is a great hunter, remember it was Brun who trained him. Even Crug still listens to Brun.

Durc was not entirely satisfied, but he didn't want to antagonize Brac; after all he was the future leader. Turning around he saw Brun still talking to Grod.

- I think Brun is fine, - admitted Durc, - he is nice with me and he knows many very interesting things. I like Brun too.

Durc looked at Brun again. Brac was completely wrong about Broud, but maybe he was right about Brun. He was the wisest man he knew, and it was true that he had trained Broud; so if he trained him, maybe he could become as good a hunter as Broud was. And Brun was very demanding, but he wasn't as mean as Broud.

The boy's training in hunting lore by Borg, turned out to be a better idea than anyone thought. Not only Brac and Grev but also Durc and even Dorv, who was too young to understand, got used to spend long evenings listening to Borg's stories. Borg was close enough in age for the boys to feel free to ask and comment whatever came to their minds without fear of being embarrassed. Also, the young hunter understood the importance of the task assigned to him and assumed it with adult responsibility. He used to prepare his lessons in advance and recurred mainly to Crug, but also to any of the other hunters; with what his own knowledge, although already stored in his memories, was properly refreshed and it showed during the hunts. Unknowingly, he was being trained for his future role of second-in-command to Brac.

The winter passed and the spring came with the thaw, the rains and the floods. Although the Cave never actually flooded, the melting snow ran downwards through the entrance passage and the subterranean river flowing into the cave more than tripled its size causing the pond of the inner cave to increase the area it covered by half. The clan spent long hours working in the snow tunnel that prolonged the cave's entrance passage in winter, to prevent it form collapsing and blocking the cave. That was a task that the old cave never required, but they got used to it and it was only needed in the thawing season anyway.

Standing at the mouth of his clan's cave Broud was watching the prairies to the north. The relative height of the emplacement made it a perfect lookout post to observe the prairie herds almost as far as a day's walk, thus making hunts planning easier; but the large expanse of land was empty, as far as Broud could see. It was too early in the season, there were still some patches of snow here and there, and although the grasses had already began to grow they were still too new.

Broud was impatient. This was the last summer before the Clan Gathering, the mog-ur had told him so, and he wanted to begin hunting and storing meat right away. They still had plenty stored, but by the end of this summer they would have to be stocked for two winters. Looking far to the northeast he thought there was something moving near the horizon, but it wasn't moving south; it was moving north. Broud's heart began to pump faster, he couldn't be sure but he was willing to risk it; clutching his amulet he sent a thought to his totem, half a prayer half an expression of thanks, and went into the cave.

- Vorn! Tell everyone to prepare! - Broud liked to relay his orders through Vorn lately. - We are going on a long hunting trip tomorrow at first light, many days and many days more. Take all the hunters and all their women! Droog will stay to protect the cave, Aba will take care of him and Zoug and the children, Aga goes!

- But Broud, - said Vorn trying to look reasonable, - right now? It is too early in the season. And why Droog? He is a very experienced hunter, and his toolmaking skills could be needed in an extended hunting trip. And why take Aga if Droog is not going?

- I am the leader, Vorn, - After a long, boring winter, Broud was being Broud again, - You will do as I say or I will find another second-in-command.

Vorn didn't like the way he was being treated, he had been a loyal second-in-command for two years now, and he was older and much more experienced than he was at the beginning; he felt that he deserved more respect. He also thought that Brun's leading style was better; Brun would have called for a meeting, told the men what he was planning and listened to their opinions, given them several days to prepare food, clothing, weapons and utensils, and so on. But this was not Brun, and he knew better than to antagonize Broud when he was launched into something like a charging rhinoceros.

- What about the children, and the nursing babies? - Vorn was worried about the son of his hearth, but had little hope that Uba was allowed to stay; she was the only medicine woman and therefore indispensable in any long trip.

- All the children stay except Brac, he is almost ready for his manhood hunt and will learn a lot in a hunting trip like this. - said Broud. - Igra goes too, she is almost a woman now and just as strong. All nursing babies go with their mothers, we cannot afford to leave four adult women in the cave for this hunt.

- And what are we going to hunt, Broud?

- Mammoth!

Droog was angry with Broud; angry at being left behind in a mammoth hunt, angry at his mate being taken along without his consent. It was Broud's right, as leader, but it was very impolite, almost an insult, and Droog thought he knew the reason. He was so worried for it that he decided to talk with the mog-ur; Goov had been, after all, the son of his hearth.

- What do you want Droog? - The mog-ur asked before Droog could say a thing.

- Broud is planning a mammoth hunt, starting tomorrow, and I know you have refused to go, mog-ur. - Droog was just as direct.

- Yes I have, - said Goov, - I am staying, and so are you.

- I talked to Vorn, told him that if you stayed to protect the cave then I could be free to go. - Said Droog. - Vorn agreed but Broud insisted that I stayed. I also told him that Aba was too old to take charge of all the children and also attend to Zoug and me, and that it would be better if Aga stayed; again Broud said no. I think I know why.

- It is because of Ayla. - said Goov, - I know it, you know it, it can't be helped. We both knew something like this was bound to happen.

- I don't think he will go as far as to harm her, or her mother, - said Droog, - but I fear that they might not be as well protected as they should. Without me there, that would be Broud's responsibility; and I don't think he would be too sorry if something happened to them.

- And...?

- And I would feel much better if you were going, - said Droog finally. That was what he had come to ask the mog-ur for.

- I had not gone hunting for almost two years now. - said Goov, he was not changing his mind. - Brun is going though, he won't let Aga nor Ayla to be left unprotected.

- Brun is a good man, but he has no authority now. Mog-ur, - Droog was begging, - I have never asked you for a favor before. If you go in this hunt now, I will be in your debt for life.

Goov looked at the man, why was he so worried? Aga was only his second woman, and anybody could see that they didn't have the deep understanding the toolmaster had shared with his late first mate. And the baby? A baby girl, not even a boy! But then he though of his own baby girl, Ovra's daughter. How would he react if he thought she was in danger? And he began to understand the man, he wouldn't have acted differently himself. Goov thought of the reasons he had for not going; they were all selfish. He felt weak, got tired soon, and didn't like the idea of walking several days at a fast pace over wet muddy prairies, of sleeping outside in the cold and of chasing a gigantic mammoth with a simple spear in a crazy half-planned hunt; he just didn't feel like it. He felt ashamed of himself.

- I don't think your mate or her daughter will be put in any danger, and it is wrong for you to think that our leader has no concern for the safety of each and every member of this clan. -he told Droog gravely, - But you have given me reasons to go, reasons that even you don't know. I will join the hunt to observe Broud and offer him the help of the spirits to make the better decisions for the good of this clan. And you are not in my debt, I am only fulfilling my duty as mog-ur.

Late in the afternoon on the third day of the hunting trip, walking at a fast trot, the mog-ur was feeling dizzy. The light was fading and Broud would soon stop to set up camp for the night, he didn't want to show his weakness but it was not being easy. Chewing some magic dried leaves from one of his pouches Goov had managed to make it so far, but when they finally stopped he went straight to Uba.

- What the mog-ur needs, - told him the medicine woman, - I cannot give now. Mog-ur needs to eat more and to exercise more, and it will be some time, maybe the whole season, before he recovers his strength. This woman knows nothing about the world of the spirits and the ways of mog-urs, but as a medicine woman, I can tell that whatever it is that Mog-ur is doing, it is taking his strength and his health away.

- You are right medicine woman, - Goov's irritation showed, - you know nothing about the world of the spirits.

- I can see that mog-ur has been chewing something during the march, - said Uba, - I only can offer him something similar. It will make his heart work faster, but even if it helps him overcome exhaustion, it will also drain his strength and also eliminate his hunger so at the end it will only make him weaker. It could even kill him from exhaustion.

- Goov, - Uba dropped the proper formal way to address the mog-ur and looked at him directly in the eyes, - Una and Ovra need you, your clan needs you, I need you. You have to look after your health better. What would be of this clan without you?

Goov looked back angrily at the woman. Who did she thought she was, talking to him like that? But in her eyes he found deep concern, honest admiration, and more; there was love in those eyes.

Taking hold of himself and controlling his anger and frustration, the mog-ur stood up, turned around and left to where the men were waiting, just outside the camp, for the night ceremony; the third on this trip.

Later that same night he sat at the fire eating slowly what his mate had prepared for him, watching her while nursing the astonishingly beautiful daughter of his hearth, whose life had been miraculously saved by the medicine woman. He felt full but he forced himself to a second serving; Uba must be right, he thought, she is so young, and yet such a wonderful medicine woman, worthy of Iza's line. But something she had said filled him with uneasiness, and something she hadn't said much more so.

Was he really needed so much? Was he really loved so much? Goov looked around at all the members of the clan, and thought of Uba's question. What would be of them without him? He never had thought of himself that way, he didn't want to be so badly needed. Any community that depended so much on one and only one of its members was doomed; but what else could he do? Was he ready to leave this clan in Broud's hands? Was Broud ready? Was the clan ready? But, why didn't Ursus talk to him anymore? Was he doing everything wrong? Maybe his efforts were pointless; maybe it was time to give up.

Goov could not know it, but his too frequent use of alkaloids was collecting its price and taking it from his health. He was stressed and exhausted, and, in the down wave of his travels to the spirit world, he was depressed. He would need all of his inner strength to fight depression, but he had the most powerful weapon there is for it; love. The love of his mate, the love of his clan and, most important, his love for them. A baby's noise called his attention.

- I will not fail you little one, - thought Goov taking the daughter of his hearth in his arms, - there will be a clan to take care of you when you grow up. I will make sure of that.

The fourth day of forced march was even more stressful for the weak mog-ur, but he didn't resort to his magic herbs this time. After the nightly men's ceremony, he called Brun and Grod to seat with him for the evening meal.

- Is it wise to talk here? - Asked Brun.

- As mog-ur, I need your advise; - signaled Goov, - there in nothing wrong in seeking advise from more experienced men.

- Talk, mog-ur - said Grod.

- I have been relying in your advise for two winters now, - said Goov, - but time is passing and I don't know how long can we go like this. We were four, at the beginning, but now Zoug is excusing himself more frequently than not because of his failing health. You two are strong yet, not so old as Zoug, but my own health is not so good anymore and I worry about what would happen if any of us fails.

- A man cannot do more than what a man can do. - said Brun earnestly wanting to help, he had grown to feel a great respect for the young man in front of him; the man who had rescued him from the bitterness of old age and given him back a lust for living, a mission, - Leadership, you know, was never easy for me; not any of the long years of mine. Many things can go wrong, and they did; some could have been avoided but most couldn't. You learn to live with that. Nobody knows what life will ask from you in the future, so you must go on doing your job, one day at a time; because your clan counts on you to do it. So when the time comes for you to walk the spirit world, you can walk proudly and say 'I did my job, I never failed my clan'. No one expects more of a man, no one expects less of a leader.

- But I am the mog-ur, - said Goov, - I am not the leader!

- No? - Grod looked at his eyes

- Broud is the leader! - Goov turned to look at Broud.

Grod and Brun turned to look at Broud too. The leader was telling a bored Brac about his prowess at his first mammoth hunt, when he was a young hunter and Brac a nursing baby. His own self-worshiping blinded him to the boredom of the son of his mate.

- Broud is no leader, - said Brun, a shadow of guilt in his gesturing, - we are the ones who must take care of this clan until Brac is ready, and thanks Ursus he almost is. Then he will replace us until the time comes for him to replace Broud. Meanwhile we run this clan, and you, mog-ur, are our leader.

Goov was overwhelmed, the impromptu meeting was not going the way he had planned. He had wanted to tell them about his misgivings, about Ursus not talking to him, about the Spirit of Gray Wolf. He wanted help to understand those visions. But something in Brun's eyes convinced him not to.

Those men relied completely on him, on his born-in-the-spirit-world wisdom. He couldn't tell them that he had lost that connection; that they only had... him. They had been boldly defying one of the most ancient clan traditions, the absolute authority of the leader. And they had been doing it on the absolute confidence that it was Ursus, through Goov the mog-ur, who sanctioned that behavior. They trusted him, and if he destroyed that trust they would crumble down, and so would the clan.

He missed his old mentor now more than ever, because only now he understood that he was all alone in this adventure. Not even with the other mog-urs at the coming Clan Gathering would he be able to share his doubts, to seek advise; they could outcast him for his transgression, they most probably would. So he was completely alone.

- And what if something happens to me? - asked Goov, - I could die today, or tomorrow, even maybe in this very hunt. What then?

- No man knows when his time to walk the spirit world will come. - said Brun, - You have devoted yourself to this clan; you are giving us all your knowledge and seeking the advise of the spirits for us, even at the cost of your health. What more could anyone ask from you? You are doing well mog-ur, just take one day at a time. As I said before, no one will ask you for more.

But Brun was wrong on that last one.

- Except for one thing. - said Grod, who had been listening quietly - We don't have a replacement for you, Mog-ur; you should begin to train one.

After six exhausting days of fast traveling, Broud's bet finally paid off, and the clan caught up with their intended prey. The sight was impressive, in front of them there was a big herd of woolly mammoths. Led by an old pregnant female, the herd included ten other adult females, half of them pregnant and eight young animals of different ages. With the spring, they were slowly migrating back north; closer to the glaciers where they would spend the summer. Along with them, although not part of the herd, four big males were following; probably one of the females was approaching or already in heat.

The clan hunting party was, however, upwind from the mammoths and couldn't therefore get too close. Broud ordered a detour to the east and set camp to one side and slightly ahead of the path of the herd; also slightly downwind from them. At first light in the morning, Crug and Borg were sent north to surround the mammoths, scout the lay of the land ahead and find a good place to hunt the mighty beasts. By noon they were back.

The plan set by Broud was very similar to that of his first mammoth hunt, when he was one of the hunters led by Brun. They had found a blind cannon in the path of the mammoths and planned to drive one of them into it with the help of fire. First, all of them would go around the herd to position themselves to the north and downwind from the herd. Broud and Vorn were to scout the herd and to select the right animal and chase it. Grod, Brun, Goov, Borg and Crug in that order, were to follow spacing themselves all the way to the trap; they would keep the mammoth running and guide it to the blind cannon where Borg and Crug were to turn it into the trap and be the first to attempt the kill. Thorn between being at the last position to kill the animal himself, and being the one to make the decision on the right animal and the right moment, Broud had chosen the position of authority. Finally, against Brun's advise, Brac was ordered to pick a place, behind a bush barrier near the entrance of the cannon, to observe the hunt.

Broud was watching the big beasts walk along, still angry with Brun for offering an opinion nobody had asked for. That made him remember Brun's last mammoth hunt, when the leader's indecision to select a prey and begin the chase, almost made them loose their chance; ending up with a small female that was barely worth the effort. But he was not Brun, he was not an old used-up leader unable to make a quick simple decision. Broud promptly singled out the biggest animal, a gigantic male in his prime with enormous tusks that made a near complete circle and crossed in front of his trump; and unable to wait, gave Vorn the signal to start the fire.

Not daring to discuss Broud's authority, Vorn took the live coal he always carried in every hunt, started the fire at the small fireplace he had already prepared, and lighted his torch in it. Then he ran to where Grod was waiting. Grod lighted his torch on Vorn's and run to Brun, who did the same with Goov, and so on until Crug's torch was lit. Meanwhile, Broud had lighted his own torch in the small fire and began to run towards the herd screaming and wielding it; soon Vorn joined him. The spring grass was too fresh, and the soil too damp to start a prairie fire, but the hunters tried all the same to set fire to everything in sight and partially succeeded. The wind was blowing away from their camp; and even if it were not so short lived as it was, the weak prairie fire posed no danger to their women.

Despite the weakness of the fire and the smallness of the torches and the men carrying them, the smell of fire panicked the mammoths. But the chase had begun too soon and the selected animal had been anything but isolated. So when the screaming men charged, not one, but three mammoths ran towards the trap. Along with the big bull the full grown female that had been the object of his interest and her one-year calf, ran followed by the clan hunters.

Upon arriving to the entrance of the blind cannon Crug and Borg tried to turn the fleeing behemoths into it and almost succeeded; but the experienced male, who had probably been hunted before, stopped on his tracks and turned around bellowing a warning. The female's reaction was not so fast, and was already halfway into the trap when she stopped. Crug, seeing his prey about to escape, charged screaming his lungs out towards her followed by Borg. Facing his attackers, the mammoth raised her head trumpeting in panick; which let Borg thrust his spear deep into her mouth. Crug crouched nearer to the screaming beast, and aiming carefully managed to thrust his spear in her neck severing the main artery. Mortally wounded, the mammoth attacked her killers, Both men were severely injured by the dying beast. The young mammoth, the third running along, went well into the blind cannon, but frightened by the men and the smell of blood, turned around to escape.

Broud, who had been running after the mammoths, saw the big bull with his prize tusks escaping and tried desperately to cut his way out and turn him around, facing him with his torch closely followed by Vorn, while all the other hunters ran to help Crug and Borg. Seeing his way out blocked by the smoky fire of Broud and Vorn's torches, the panicked beast turned again and charged through the bushes where Brac was hidden; the boy tried to run away, but in the confusion found himself right in front of the charging monster. Seeing the small creature blocking his way out, the big mammoth attacked Brac; turning his head the beast hit him with his tusks, which were more of a tool to brush-of snow than a weapon, and sent him flying several feet to one side.

To make things worse, while trying to run in Brac's aid, Broud tripped and fell... just in front of the young mammoth that was trying to follow the old male. The year-old animal tried to skip around Broud, but didn't succeed and stepped on the fallen man's leg before escaping in the wake of the big bull. Vorn, who was close behind Broud, managed to stab it in one side with his spear; but the wound did not kill it immediately and the young beast ran away with Vorn's spear hanging from its side. That wound would eventually turn out to be mortal, but that was to take yet another day or maybe two.

Brun, turned around, standing over the dead body of the mammoth they had just killed, and tried to asses the situation; it was disastrous. They had killed the mighty beast, yes, but at what cost. All of them were injured to some extent. Crug and Borg were lying unconscious on the ground, both severely bruised, bleeding from several gashes and, from the look of them, most probably with some bones broken. Broud was also lying in the ground, though not unconscious, his right leg was a mess of blood and evidently broken. But the worst was Brac; the boy was sprawled on the ground with his arms and legs in weird positions, not moving at all, and with blood slowly oozing out from his mouth, nose and ears.

Brun blamed himself for not having been able to foresee the possible consequences of Broud's recklessness. He had wanted the mammoth too, he let himself get caught by the young leader's impulsive drive and the emotions of the hunt, and had been too ready to rely in Broud's proven hunting instincts without taking precautions against his known carelessness. It was too late now, and there was nothing left but the sad epilog to the thrill and the emotions of the hunt that was Broud's loud scream.

- Brac! Braaaaaac!

Broud lost consciousness and Vorn, as the second-in-command, was immediately put in charge by Brun; the young hunter, relieved to see the experienced former leader taking the role of advisor, quickly agreed to all his suggestions. Being the youngest and fastest hunter available, Vorn ran to the camp to get Uba; followed more slowly by Goov, who was to stay protecting the women while they moved the camp nearer to the kill. Grod went to apply Broud a tourniquet to his leg, and then to try to wake-up Crug and Borg. Brun went directly to Brac.

The boy was breathing, but barely; Brun lacking the necessary knowledge, could only watch. There was no open wound and Brun's experience told him that, as long as the kid breathed, it was best not to move him until the medicine woman came. After a surprisingly short time, Uba, having told Vorn that she would most probably need help since there were broken bones to be set, arrived accompanied by Ebra.

Following an ancient set of priorities, Uba went first to see the leader; although unconscious his only major injury seemed to be his broken leg. Uba checked the tourniquet and decided that Broud could wait. Then she quickly looked at Crug and Borg; both were already regaining conscience and, although severely bruised, they could wait too. So she went to examine Brac.

The boy had his right collarbone and upper arm broken, as well as several ribs; some of which might have punctured his lungs. Also his left leg was dislodged from his hip and he had a severe concussion in his head. After careful examination, Uba was relieved to find that the blood coming out of his mouth and nose was not from internal wounds but from the mouth and nose themselves, wounded either by the mammoth's tusks or by the fall. And the blood that seemed to come out of his ears, actually came from his nose and mouth wounds. Uba put Brac in a more comfortable position, to allow him to breathe easier, and asked Ebra to start a fire and boil some water, which she would need for her magic preparations; then she went to examine Crug and Borg again.

Both men had been knocked out by the mammoth and had several bruises in their arms, bodies and heads; Borg had his left arm broken but the bone had not split out entirely. He also had several gashes caused by the female mammoth's shorter but very dangerous tusks and by his own spear, which had broken in three parts. Uba cleaned all the wounds and wrapped them with soft clean hides; she also wrapped his broken arm with couple of wood splinters she had taken along from the camp and told the young man to wait until she could prepare some medication for him.

Crug had a large gash in his right side, caused by the mammoth's tusk, but it was fairly superficial and hadn't compromised more than the skin; the force of the blow, however, had broken two ribs of that side. Again Uba cleaned and wrapped the wounds and told the man to wait for her to prepare his medication. Crug was told to recline in a comfortable position and not to move at all until after his broken ribs were properly wrapped; which had to wait for the medication for his gash to be prepared and applied.

Uba made an antiseptic preparation for the open wounds, a poultice for the bruises and also some strong medication for the men to drink. First Uba treated all Crug and Borg's open wounds, applied the poultice to their bruises and wrapped firmly Borg's arm and Crug's ribs, and gave both men their medicine to drink. Then, with Ebra's help, Uba set Broud's leg and treated his wounds. The pain caused by Uba setting the fracture woke Broud up and he was given a strong datura tea for his pain, along with his other medication. As soon as Broud woke up, he asked for Brac; Uba could only tell him to wait.

Brac was still unconscious and Uba didn't want to move him; but she managed to slip a hide under him and set up a tent around. She had cleaned his mouth and nose, as well as his entire face, and was satisfied that the bleeding had stopped. The fact that he was not coughing blood was a good sign, and an indication that his lungs might not be punctured, but his weak breathing made her fear that they were nonetheless damaged. Without being able to give him any painkiller, due to his weakened condition, Uba fixed his leg and set his broken bones. The boy's right side was all a big black bruise, Uba applied her poultice, checked the right setting of his five broken ribs and wrapped them although not too tightly so as not to difficult his breathing. She had also put splinters and wrapped his broken arm and collarbone, but what worried her most were his head's bruises. Now all she could do was to wait and see if he would wake up or not. The sleeping sickness was something nobody knew much about; some patients woke up after a short while, some after several days, some never. All Uba knew was that Brac's chances diminished with time; not being able to swallow food, water or medicine, he would get weaker and weaker until he would finally die. She had treated Brac to the best of her knowledge and there was nothing else a medicine woman could do; Brac's life was now in the hands of the spirits, so Uba left his patient for a moment and went to inform the leader.

After dismantling and packing the whole camp, the women led by Goov walked to where the hunters were waiting with the mammoth they had just killed. The calm walk to the camp, and the time waiting for the women had allowed his heart to slow down almost to its normal pace, and his breathing almost to its normal rhythm. He was not fit to run behind mammoths, not anymore that was for sure; but as he was recovering from exhaustion, the magnitude of their losses at this hunt hit him. Brac was the key piece in his plans for the Clan; he had expected to include the young man in their small council as soon as he became a man, as a way to speed up his training for leadership. How could he have been so careless? He shouldn't have permitted Broud to put Brac in danger to begin with. Brun had said that his Clan counted on him, and he had failed them miserably.

Back at the site of the kill, Goov sat apart to meditate while Vorn ordered the women to begin with the butchering and preserving at once. Coming from amidst the crowd of people Brun approached Goov.

-Here! - Said Brun handing Goov a piece of raw liver - You were one of the hunters, you deserve this.

- I deserve nothing. - said Goov, but he ate his share of mammoth liver; he wouldn't offend the spirits by refusing it, - What are we going to do now without Brac, Brun,?

- Brac is not dead yet, - said Brun, - he is severely bruised, has many broken bones, and Uba says he might have the sleeping sickness; but he is still breathing.

- Will he recover? Will he ever hunt again? - Goov was very pessimistic.

- As I once told you, some things can go wrong; - said Brun, - this one did. It is my fault...

- No! It is my fault! - interrupted Goov.

- Then it is our fault, it doesn't matter. As I said, we learn to live with it; - Brun was surprisingly calm already, - and we go on living, one day at a time. If Brac recovers, our plans go on, if he doesn't, we make new plans. One thing is clear though, It could have been you instead of Brac; Grod was right, mog-ur, you must select an acolyte and begin training your replacement before we go to the Clan Gathering.

Right then Grod approached the two men; they could see he had news.

- Brac is awake, he may recover. - Grod was a man of few words, - Broud is awake and may recover too, but not fully. We are staying here longer than expected.

From the lack of further news Brun and Goov implied that Crug and Borg were going to be all right too, but Goov decided to learn all the details directly from Uba. Later, at mid afternoon, the three men gathered again.

- Brac was injured when the mammoth hit him sideways with his tusks. - reported Goov, - He was wounded by the force of the blow, but also, and furthermore, by the force of the fall. Bad spirits have gotten inside his body and his head, and he is hot from fighting the spirits inside him. But Uba says that since he woke up so fast, and being as young and strong as he is, he has a good chance to recover; and that if he does, he will recover fully. I have made an especially powerful charm to protect him and I think that he will do well.

Those were good news, and both men listening nodded satisfied.

- Broud's leg bone has been crushed by the mammoth that stepped on it, also his leg muscles are severely damaged. Uba is very confident that his leg will heal without further problems, - continued Goov, - but she requires to go searching for birch-bark to make a special wrapping for his leg; a hunter should go with her as protection. However, evil spirits have gotten inside Broud's leg and even with this special magic, that leg will take a long time healing and it will never be as it was before. He will walk with a limp and Uba cannot say yet how bad it will be; only time will tell if he will hunt again, but that will not happen this summer in any case.

The seriousness of this information and its possible implications did not escape any of the three men, their nods conveyed deep worries this time.

- Both, Crug and Borg, have broken bones and several gashes and bruises, but they will recover soon; - broken bones were common trade between Clan hunters, and not considered a big deal, - but Crug's ribs will take longer than Brog's arm. Besides Borg's hunting arm is not damaged, he will be available for guard duty in a couple of days at most. - finished Goov.

- Our most urgent concern must then be Broud, - said Brun, - If he is unable to hunt, he will have to step down as leader. Vorn, as the second-in-command, would become the new leader. That could be a really big problem, Vorn is not prepared. Not even like Brac.

- Broud's recovery will require of him to be very obedient to Uba, something very unlikely; - said Goov, - he will most probably get very angry and blame Uba when he finds out that his leg will not heal properly. If he blames Uba and punishes her, as he surely will, she would be upset and her magic could be adversely affected making things worse.

- Broud will not be obedient, - said Grod, - Vorn will end up leader.

- Broud must step down as leader, - agreed Goov, but speaking with a mysterious attitude, - if he is to continue as leader.

Brun and Grod's eyes first showed their confusion and lack of understanding. Why did mog-urs never talk in understandable ways? But then those same eyes lit up with hope, admiration and relief; the mog-ur had a plan. They had no idea what it was but the apparently senseless words made all his worries disappear, everything was going to be solved to their full satisfaction and to the best interest of the Clan; their mog-ur had a plan.

- I must meditate alone now, - said Goov, effectively dismissing his companions, - later this evening I will talk to Vorn.

Goov walked a little away from the camp, he was sure of his solution, this could in fact turn out to be the perfect opportunity to implement some necessary changes; he only needed to work out a few small details, and make some adjustments to their original plan. Loyalty, he knew, could very useful if properly understood, very useful indeed.

Looking around he saw life taking its normal course, the women working frantically in the enormous carcass, the three only hunters available taking their guarding positions, and the injured resting. Goov turned around; far away on the prairie, in the general direction the escaping mammoths had taken, something moving swiftly had caught his eye. A large wolf pack, about as many as all the fingers in the two hands of two men, was following the bloody trail of the wounded mammoth; no food was ever wasted in the wild prairies of the ice age.

As the night approached, Goov told Vorn that the leader was sedated and that he, as second-in-command, should organize the hunters in turns to guard the camp during the night. He also asked him to take care of other necessary decisions like what to do with the clean bones, the scraps, and all the other parts of the mammoth that were not to be used and had to be thrown out; as well as many other things concerning the setting and organization of the camp.

Vorn wasn't happy, he didn't know what to do; but it was evident, as the mog-ur had pointed out, that nobody was doing anything unless somebody ordered it done. The young hunter realized that even he, the one supposed to be giving orders, was waiting for someone to tell him what to do. Prompted by Goov, he went to ask Brun for advice; the former leader helped the young second-in-command, and soon the night shifts for the hunters, the cooking shifts for the women, and everything else was organized.

Brun had manipulated Vorn into taking the first shift of night guard duty along with the mog-ur, which allowed Goov to capture the young hunter for a long evening talk.

- Broud's leg is severely damaged and he might not ever hunt again, - the mog-ur decided to be brutally frank, - that means you are most likely to become leader.

Vorn paled; he had felt helpless, almost lost, that very afternoon when he was asked to organize the clan. And he was to be leader? Of course he was tempted. What man wouldn't? But he was painfully aware of his inadequacy; he was a follower, he was not a leader. But what other alternative there was? This was the Clan way!

- I am not prepared to be leader, you know that mog-ur, - said Vorn, deciding to open his soul to his spiritual leader, - I shouldn't even be second-in-command, it would be a total disaster. But I understand too that there is no other choice, and that this is the way of the Clan. Are you sure that Broud will not hunt again? He might recover yet, he is very strong, and he is the rightful leader.

- Uba has been very clear; Broud's leg will never heal properly, Vorn, never. It is too badly damaged and he will forever walk with a limp; that is, if he ever walks again. It is true that he might recover enough use of his leg so as to return to hunting; - conceded Goov, - but that would take at least one year, maybe more, and he would have to be very obedient with whatever Uba tells him to do. You know very well that he won't. What is more, he won't blame himself for his impediment, or the mammoth, or even the bad luck; he will blame Uba and he will punish her, he will most probably get very angry and cuff her. That, of course, will upset our only medicine woman and affect her healing magic, with what we will not only lose Broud but we could also lose three other hunters.

Vorn knew the mog-ur was right, that was exactly what Broud would most likely do, and he was not happy at all at the perspective of Uba being cuffed by Broud. He remembered how merciless had he beaten Ayla, driven by his anger, to the point of almost killing her; he could not allow that to happen to Uba. But he owed Broud; his own high status was only a result of Broud naming him second-in-command. He could not take advantage of Broud's misfortune; he would just not do it.

- I will not do it, mog-ur, - stated Vorn, - not until it is evident that Broud won't hunt again.

- Then this Clan is doomed, - said Goov somberly, - by the end of the summer we won't have enough food for next year's Clan Gathering, and we won't have a leader either. There is no way that Broud obeys a woman, even a medicine woman, unless someone with more authority orders him to; and there is no higher authority than that of the leader.

Vorn was frustrated at finding no solution to this impasse. If he took over leadership, something that scared him to the bones, he would be betraying Broud's friendship and confidence; if he didn't, Broud's leg wouldn't heal properly and he would have to become leader anyway, but with a devastated and impoverished clan to lead.

- What if I take over leadership and Broud recovers fully enough to hunt again? - asked Vorn.

- Then you could hand him back the leadership; - said the mog-ur, - as the leader, you could do whatever you wanted.

- But how could I lead this clan? - Vorn was slow to accept his fate, - You know very well that I am not prepared to do it.

- No, you are not, but I could help you, - said Goov, - and there are experienced men in this clan who could help too if you, as the leader, asked them to. Brun has been an excellent leader, he could be your advisor.

- You are right! - Vorn was unknowingly starting to make plans, - I could make him my second-in-command.

- No, that wouldn't do, - explained Goov patiently, - Brun has been a leader, and the highest ranked leader at that; he cannot step down to second-in-command to a young temporary leader that is not even the son of his hearth, that would diminish his status. There are others to consider too, like Droog who is experienced and probably willing although his experience is mostly about toolmaking; but then there is Grod, he is an experienced second-in-command, younger even than Droog, he would probably agree to be your second if you asked him in private first.

- I think you are right, - Vorn was already warming to the idea, - with Brun as advisor, Grod as second-in-command, and your help mog-ur, I think I could make it work. But I want one thing made clear from the very beginning; I am only accepting leadership to make sure that Broud obeys Uba so that his leg heals properly, and I will hand him back the leadership as soon as he proves himself able to hunt. That will be my first priority; to make Broud able to hunt, and lead, again.

- You are going to be a good leader, Vorn, - said Goov satisfied, - you are making good decisions already. Broud will never dare to cuff the leader's mate without permission; and you can order him to obey her. That will make him very angry, but it will be for his own good. Now there are some other things I would like to discuss; you must understand that if Broud doesn't recover enough to hunt again, which could perfectly happen, Durc would be your heir apparent and the future leader...

Goov and Vorn talked well into the night, and many important decisions had been reached by the time Brun and Grod woke up to relieve them. The four men talked for awhile and then the young magician and the soon-to-be leader went to sleep. Both of them stayed awake though, thinking in the events that would take place in the coming morning; later on, just before dawn, both men woke their mates up and signaled them.

When the sun was about to appear, early that day, the whole clan gathered summoned by their acting leader, the second-in-command, around their sleeping leader, the severely injured Broud; even Brac, who was so weak that had to be carried, was ordered to be there. They all were curious, for no one had inkling on what was about to happen, and they all were surprised to see their mog-ur in ceremonial clothing.

After calling everybody to remain quiet and silent, the mog-ur began the ceremony; raising the awe-inspiring sacred cave bear skull in his hands, Goov called all the Clan's protective spirits to attend. He then reached down to wake up Broud and, as soon as the leader opened his eyes, went quickly trough the motions that stripped him of his leadership privileges and raised Vorn to that elevated position.

The ceremony lacked the theatrical richness of the first ceremony ever conducted by Goov, only a few years ago, when it was Brun who stepped down to give way to Broud; but it was nonetheless perfectly valid. The clan was agape, no one expected this and they were waiting for someone to give an explanation; but no one was as astounded as Broud. Everything had been done so fast that he still didn't realize what had happened.

- What does all this mean, Goov? - Broud reacted angrily against the mog-ur, - What is everybody doing here, staring at me instead of being working? Explain Goov! I am the leader and I am ordering you to explain! Now!

But it was Brun who stepped ahead of everybody to speak first.

- You are not the leader anymore, Broud! Vorn is the leader now! - Broud could see a vast amusement depicted all over Brun's face. - And you are the lowest ranked hunter, that is if you are still a hunter.

Broud blanched as the reality of his situation sinked into his head. How could this had happened? He was the leader! He was the only one who could decide to step down! This was against all Clan traditions! He could see that all of the members of the clan were as surprised as he, everybody was talking, gesturing excitedly to one another, and no one understood how could the leadership have changed hands so suddenly.

Broud tried to catch someone's eyes, to dispute this absurd change in the leadership. He was the leader! But as one after another of the members of his clan turned to Vorn and formed a wide circle around the new leader, Broud understood that he had lost. The ceremony had been performed, the spirits had been notified, and that was final.

He had been betrayed by his second-in-command and best friend, with the help of the mog-ur; he couldn't understand it, but he would find out how, and why. There was nothing he could do now, except listening to what the new leader had to say, and wait. Because one day he would get back at them; somehow, sometime, he would get back at all of them.

Vorn signaled everybody to stay quiet and pay attention; he was very nervous but fought for self control, he had been preparing all night for what he was going to say now.

- Broud, our leader, - began Vorn, confusing his audience by erroneously calling Broud leader, and in doing so betraying his own nervousness, - has been severely injured in our successful hunt yesterday. The medicine woman has told our mog-ur that his leg will not heal properly and therefore he won't be able to hunt again. Not this year, perhaps never.

The members of the Clan began to understand the reasons behind the change of leadership, but they had to see it said.

- As is the way of the Clan, by long standing tradition, a man who cannot hunt cannot be leader; - even Broud understood then what had happened, - therefore I, as second-in-command, and following our mog-ur's wise indications, have been forced to assume the leadership.

- I want it know, - continued Vorn after a short pause to let the people get accustomed to the idea, - and I want it very clear from the beginning, that if Broud ever regained his ability to hunt with the clan, I intend to turn the leadership back to him because he is the rightful leader of this clan. There is a very small chance of that happening; but the mog-ur tells me that, according to our medicine woman, the chance is there.

The people wondered why Uba hadn't talked directly to Vorn, with her being his mate and all; but they speculated, correctly, that before Vorn being made leader, Uba didn't really have to inform him about her patients. However, since the mog-ur was required to ask for the intervention of the spirits to help Uba's magic, he had to be informed.

- As of now, Grod is the second-in-command again. - There were murmurs of agreement, Grod was the most experienced hunter of the clan besides Brun. - And I want everyone to know how grateful I am to him for agreeing to give me the benefit of his experience; and also to Brun, the first ranked leader of the last Clan Gathering, who has agreed to act as advisor too.

Broud was glaring; so this was how they had made it. Of course that little conniving medicine woman had something to do with it; she wanted her mate to be leader, and she had exaggerated his injuries to get what she wanted. But they were not going to get away with it; he was going to recover fully, and he would demand the leadership to be handed back to him. Even Vorn, that ungrateful traitor, had admitted that he, Broud, was the rightful leader. He would hold him to his word. But he had to regain full use of his leg first, and that worthless medicine woman could see to it that he didn't; he had to be very careful whenever she came anywhere near to his leg.

Vorn, flanked by Brun and Grod, proceeded to distribute the work between the women and the available men; and, while making rounds to protect their kill, talked to the two older men about the required planning.

- I have asked Uba about the time required before we can walk back to the cave, - said Vorn, - and she says that it will be many days, maybe half of one moon cycle, before Crug and Brac can travel. Broud would require one full moon cycle. We cannot stay here that long. Soon all the scavengers in the region will come after our meat; in fact, I am surprised that they haven't already.

- Mog-ur told me that he saw a large pack of wolves last night, - said Brun, - they were following the trail of the mammoth you wounded. My guess is that most of the predators and scavengers living nearby are going after it.

- Our fire makes them choose the other kill, - said Grod.

- That would be my guess, - said Brun, - even that young a mammoth is bound to feed them and keep them away from our fires for several days. That will give us some time to prepare; we are lucky that you wounded that one, Vorn.

- But how can we prepare? We are only four, the rest of our men are injured. - asked Vorn. - What can we do with only four men?

- First we move our camp, we must take all the meat, the hide, and all the usable parts off the carcass; then we carry it as far away from here as we can, preferably downwind, and leave the rest here to distract the scavengers. - said Brun.

- Move the camp and dig a cache, - said Grod, - several caches.

- Caches?

- Yes, - said Brun, - once we move our camp, we dig several small caches, as deep as the permafrost, and put all our fresh meat there; then we cover it with stones and fresh soil, free of blood, so the scavengers cannot smell most of our meat. We take out of the caches only what the women will work, and cook, during the day. And all the meat, once dried, must be cached again.

- And we make a lot of smoke, - said Grod.

- Several small fires, - said Vorn, getting the idea, - to speed the meat drying and scare-off the scavengers. We will need lots of wood, and there is very little here; one woman must be getting wood all the time, and Uba would be the best for this. Whenever she is not tending the injured men, she will go out for wood; she could look for her magic plants at the same time, and I can go with her for protection, maybe with a sling to catch some small game.

- Uba is good choice, - said Grod, - you are not. The leader better stays at the camp.

- You are right Grod, - said Vorn beginning to understand that, as leader, he had less freedom instead of more, - Droog can go with Uba. And I think that Aga and Ona should cook for everyone, that way the other women don't have to stop working at the meat to cook for their mates; Ebra, is the most experienced and is used to lead the women, she must be in charge of the meat processing...

Goov had been looking, from afar, while the three men talked. He was, like all the other men, making rounds about the camp, armed with a sling and a spear; but as mog-ur, he had learned to observe everything and everybody within his camp without anyone noticing. He liked the way this new arrangement was working, but something about Vorn began to bother him; despite his young age and lack of experience, the man seemed to be more intelligent than previously accounted for, in time he might prove more difficult to manipulate than Broud.

It was very early in the morning and Durc was looking north into the prairie, from his vantage point halfway up a big tree, halfway uphill from the cave; Groob and Grev were standing at the tree-foot armed with slings and spears. The mammoth hunting party had been gone for almost two moon cycles, and Droog was getting worried enough to let the three youngsters go out to watch for their return. He couldn't leave the cave unprotected, but he didn't like to have the boys out by themselves either, so he had ordered them to stay together, not to wander out of shouting range from the cave, and to be back before noon.

- I can see them! - Shouted Durc. - But I think some are missing, maybe they are not them.

- Are you sure? - said Groob, - I can see nothing! How far they are?

- I am sure someone is coming, and very heavily loaded, - said Durc, - but I am not sure it is them; there is too few in that group, I think we should go and tell Droog. They will be here sometime about sunset.

The boys ran back to the cave and stayed there while Droog went uphill to find a suitable lookout post. Durc was right, there was a large group of people coming, they were heavily loaded and he thought he could see tusks; but the group that left the cave had been larger. Droog was too experienced a hunter not to know what that meant, and wished he hadn't been left behind. Too much time had been invested in that hunt, and even if they did get a mammoth, losing some of the hunters made the success questionable; and he had his own bad news to tell too. There was nothing else he could do except to wait; the group showed a steady pace that would be getting them to the cave late this same day, and he had to prepare himself to inform the leader.

But nothing could prepare Droog to the surprise of seeing Vorn leading the group, and no sight of Broud or Grod or Uba.

- Droog, - said Vorn first thing upon arriving, - I am the leader now. Broud suffered a hunting accident and the mog-ur had to make the ceremony out there on the prairies. What news do you have for me about the cave during our absence?

- I have some bad news, - said Droog. His face showed the shock of seeing that young man, almost only yesterday a boy yet, turned into the leader of the clan; but the attitude of the mog-ur and all the other members of the hunting party confirmed the truth. - Zoug walks the spirit world now. He got a coughing sickness about one moon ago, then he made a very high fever and Aba didn't know what to do to help; last night he died in his sleep. Everything else has gone as planned and there have not been any incidents to report.

Droog was relieved to see Aga and her baby among the returning party, as well as Borg, and he wasn't too disappointed to see that Broud was missing; but he regretted not seeing Grod, and Uba was an irreparable loss to the Clan. What had happened?

- What happened to Grod? - asked Droog. - And to Uba? Do they walk the spirit world with Broud too?

- No one walks the spirit world, - said Vorn, - save for Zoug as you just told me. Broud was stepped on by a mammoth and his leg was too badly damaged; he will not hunt again, not this year, probably never, and he had to step down from leadership. He walks on one leg now, the other leg is still not healed, so he couldn't keep the pace; the medicine woman stayed with him to help, and the second-in-command stayed with them for protection. They are walking very slowly and should arrive here three days from now.

- I can see there are others injured, - said Droog, - but you are also carrying a full load of meat.

- Crug and Borg were injured by the mammoth they killed... - Vorn told Droog the incidents during an after the hunt, and their consequences, and ended repeating what Brun had been telling him just before arriving. - We have lost most of the spring and the beginning of the summer, so we will be hunting every other day starting the day after tomorrow. Borg's arm is not completely healed yet but it is not his hunting arm, so he will hunt with the Clan. Crug's ribs will take some time yet, but there is no reason for him not to be able to protect the cave; so every other hunter will go, including Mog-ur.

Zoug's death cast a shadow on the already somber mood of the clan. By mog-ur's suggestion, Vorn decided to postpone the burial until Grod arrived, since the second-in-command had been born to the old man's hearth; but the spirit that had inhabited the death body, temporarily buried outside the cave, lingered close and everybody was uneasy. Vorn ordered to put Zoug in a temporary trench dug deep enough to reach the permafrost, so the body would be preserved until Grod, Uba and Broud's return. Then he was properly buried with all due ceremony, and his spirit honored with a burial feast and sent to the spirit world.

One night a few days after the burial, when Vorn had just finished a hunt-planing meeting with his hunters, Uba approached and knelt before her mate.

- This medicine woman must inform the leader, - she said upon given permission to speak, - that the woman Oga is pregnant and the baby will be born by the beginning of winter.

Although the medicine woman had spoken to the leader, all the hunters in the meeting were aware of the news. Soon the exchange of eye contacts made it evident that there was something to be said on the subject. Vorn looked at all the men, and when he noticed that Goov was about to say something to one of the men, he jumped ahead.

- Do you have something to say - asked the leader - regarding this subject, Droog?

- Yes Vorn, - said Droog, while Goov's face showed his surprise at the young leader's quick reaction, - Broud will not hunt again, or at least not for so long that we had to appoint a new leader. How is he going to provide for Oga now that she is going to have three children?

- Why is it your concern, Droog? - said Vorn curtly. - Do you want Oga for yourself as a second woman?

- No Vorn! - said Droog flustered. He had just wanted to pick the oportunity to get back at Broud. - I did not mean that! You know I am the oldest hunter, after Brun, I am contented with Aga and I already have four people in my hearth to provide for. I was only worrying for Oga and her children.

- Oga and her children are not something for you to worry, - said Vorn angrily, - they are something for her mate to worry about, and for the leader to worry about; and you are neither.

Droog had acted on impulse and already regretted having done so. It was not like him to mind anything else but his own business, but Broud's attitude towards him and the new daughter of his hearth pushed him beyond the limits of his self control. He was embarrassed by the words of the young leader.

- If someone else is wondering, I will make this clear. - said Vorn to all the men looking at him. - Broud is still a hunter, he has the right to claim his share of all the stored food from the last season, and of course his share of the last successful mammoth hunt, which he led. With this he can provide for his mate and her children until the end of the next winter. I am not making any changes until then.

The meeting was so ended and the hunters dispersed; Goov Brun and Grod looked at each other, and nodding an acknowledgement to the young leader, retired to their hearths. Later they met at Grod's hearth for dinner.

- Vorn has turned out to be quite a willful leader, - said the mog-ur, - for someone who didn't want leadership...

- He is more intelligent than I thought, - said Brun, - and he doesn't like to be led around by his nose. Also he is fair and loyal, with enough experience he could become a good leader, even a very good one. We might have to change our plans.

- We might not be needed like this, - said Grod

- You could be right, he listens to my advise, and to your advise; - added Brun, - in fact, he listens to everybody but he makes his own decisions, and he is really decided to turn the leadership back to Broud if it comes to that. He acts as a leader should; he is even beginning to train Durc again, we might not have to give him to Ebra as we had planned.

- I hope you are right, - said Goov, - and as long as he continues to listen to the three of us, we don't have to continue worrying ourselves about the clan's affairs. We could still meet though; I really enjoy our conversations.

- I remember one of our conversations just now. - said Brun, - Have you decided on an acolyte yet?

- I had, - said Goov pensively - but I might have to change my decision.

The two men waited for the mog-ur to expand on his statement.

- I knew that I had to decide between Durc and Grev, - continued Goov, - all the other boys were either too young or already destined to be something else. Grev doesn't seem deep enough and I was almost decided for Durc, even his deformity might have helped, Creb was deformed too. But now that he is being trained to become leader, I would prefer Brac. He is already old to begin magic training but he is mature, bright, responsible, caring, and his training for leadership gives him a good head start. There is a problem however; If Vorn turns leadership back to Broud, Brac would have to be the next leader.

- Grev could be the next leader, - said Brun remembering that he had become leader because his older brother was deformed and became mog-ur.

- Grev is no leader, - said Goov, - he is a nice boy and will probably become a fine man and a good hunter, but he doesn't have the makes of a leader.

- You might train both, - said Grod, - then see what happens.

Train both! Goov was startled by the suggestion. Was it safe to teach the sacred magic knowledge of the spirit world to a future leader? Would the spirits approve? Had it ever been done before? He had to meditate on the subject, search deep into his memories, maybe even travel to the spirit world looking for answers; maybe Ursus would talk to him this time...

Durc was wandering along with Grev in the sparse woods that covered the hills close to The Den; Borg, his broken arm almost healed, was with them as protection. They were supposedly practicing their tracking skills, but the boys had other plans; they were going after the wolves.

- Are you sure, Borg? - asked Durc

- That is what old Zoug said, - answered the young man, - the time is right and the puppies should be out of their den but not hunting with the pack yet. Too bad that we cannot ask him again, but I am sure of what he said.

- Won't it be too dangerous? - said Grev

- No, - said Durc, - we are not coming close. I just want to see them from afar. If that wolf is always watching our cave, it is only fair if we watch them.

The boys spent most of the morning tracking unsuccessfully the big wolf back to his pack; by noon they were tired and sat to eat some dried meat and fruits they had taken with them, and to talk

- Can you show us your arm, Borg? - asked Grev, - It looks very thin. Does it work the same as before?

- It is not as strong as it was, - said Borg, - but Uba says it will be.

- It is because it has been wrapped in birchbark for so long, - said Durc, - and the muscles in it couldn't eat enough. Now that it is free, it will get fat again soon; the more you use it, the faster it will grow strong again.

- So you are the new medicine woman! - teased Grev, - Maybe I should call you Dura!

- You would be making a great mistake, young man, - said Borg mockingly serious, - Durc is going to be the next leader and he could curse you for your insolence.

- You could be making the great mistake, Borg, - said Durc, showing his very un-clan-like smile - Vorn would get very angry if he hears you. He says that Broud is going to be leader again. He got very angry with Droog the other day because of something he said about Broud. He doesn't want to know anything about Broud not being leader again.

Borg had been present at the incident, but decided that it was not an issue to discus with the children.

- What does Uba say about Broud? - asked Borg - His leg looks funny, not only is it skinny but it looks twisted outwards. Does she think he is going to hunt again?

- Uba says that his bone was broken in several pieces, and that Broud didn't want to stay lying straight and quiet all the time. - said Durc; he was very observant of what the medicine woman of the clan did and, to her dismay, had actually learned a lot. - It could have been worse, if it had twisted inwards it would be always getting in the way of his other leg; this way, he will always walk strange but he will walk again, sometime. That is not the real problem, the real problem is Broud himself.

- How is that? - asked Borg

- Broud thinks that Uba doesn't want him to hunt again, - said Durc, - so that Vorn, her mate, continues to be leader; and doesn't what Uba tells him to do to recover the full use of his leg. Uba says that he could have been hunting by the next Clan Gathering, but now it will take much longer, if ever.

- Can she do it? - Grev couldn't believe Broud's accusations, - Can a medicine woman do that? Would she?

- Of course not! - said Borg, - She is a medicine woman! Medicine women help people to heal, not the other way around!

- Vorn got very angry when he heard that, - said Durc, - with Broud and with Uba, both. He went straight to question Uba, he asked every detail of what she had been doing to Broud, and you know that nobody ever asks a medicine woman about her magic; that is how angry he was. He ordered her to better make sure that Broud hunts again.

- But he is training you to be leader, and Brun is also training you for leadership. - said Grev - Why would they do that if Brac and not you were to be the next leader?

- Vorn says that it is only a precaution, - said Durc, - he does it only because Mog-ur told him to do it. In fact, you are closer to leadership than me, Grev!

- Me? How? Is something wrong with Brac that we don't know? - Grev was really worried about his big brother.

- Brac is going to be alright, - said Druc, - but Uba says that his leg will have a tendency to pop out of his hip more easily in the future because of the damage the mammoth caused. If it gets too bad, you could be the next leader.

- This is not right! - said Borg, suddenly worried, - How can we live without knowing what is going to happen with the Clan! If Vorn doesn't want to be leader, why did he accept in the first place? He should make up his mind once and for all!

Uncertainty about the future was very distressful for the clan, and Borg was no exception. Neither was Grev, but he still lacked maturity; Borg, on the other hand, already had a mate and a baby to worry about.

The mood was down, and Durc noticed it, he decided a change of subject was required to cheer everybody up again.

- Why don't you tell us about the hunt again, Borg? - Durc asked to the young hunter, - How did you stab it into her mouth? Weren't you afraid to get that close?

- You don't have time to think that much in a hunt, - said Borg, pleased that the boys wanted to hear of his hunting prowess, - or to be afraid, I just followed Crug. We were afraid, yes, but afraid that all the mammoths were going to escape...

Both boys had watched open mouthed the hunt reenactment at the cave, and knew the story by heart, but the excitement of hearing it directly form one of the protagonists didn't diminished with the retellings. Before they knew, it was mid-afternoon and they had to start back to the cave.

- Vorn won't let us come out again if we are not home before sunset, - said Durc, - and I still want to track that wolf back.

Brac was siting just outside the cave, looking far into the prairies as the party of six clan hunters disappeared in the direction where a distant cloud of dust betrayed the presence of a large herd. His friend, Groob, sat to his right while his younger brother, Grev, and the strange looking deformed boy who was Grev's best friend sat besides him to his left. The mood was really somber, they were not the happy bunch of playing kids they used to be; they were sharing the bad news with Brac, Uba had just told him that his leg wasn't going to be completely healed ever. It would look right, it would function right, it would even grow as strong as it might; but the pain and the inflammation in his hip's joint, would be back every time that he jumped, every time that he ran. He could get strong enough as to hunt and to become a man, but never would he go back to being as before. Never would he be leader.

Brac was just as old as Borg was when he became a man, and very mature for his age, was why Uba thought him old enough to learn the truth; but he was nevertheless a boy. He would be crying for the loss of his pre-ordained future, the one for which he had been preparing his whole life, but the people of the clan had no tears. The pain, however, was just the same; and sharing it with his age mates was only a small relief.

Goov was too tired to go in the hunt, and had asked Vorn to stay protecting the cave. Broud was already walking, or rather limping, and could have taken upon himself the role of protector of the cave, but Vorn agreed to Goov's request; the young mog-ur looked really awful, and the leader worried for his health. But contrary of what it might seem to others Goov was feeling rather good, tired but good. Ursus had talked to him this last time, and he had an idea of what Ursus's words meant. He couldn't be absolutely certain, but after talking to Uba he was feeling pretty sure of his interpretation, and very confident about the future. There was only one thing left to do. He would talk to Brac alone, he would find how he felt and what he thought, he would find out just how apt he was. That conversation was to be decisive, but he felt confident on the outcome; he couldn't be wrong, Ursus wouldn't mislead him on this.

- Brac! Groob! Children!, - Goov poked his head out of the narrow entrance to the cave. - Come back inside! I need to talk to Brac and I don't want you out alone. Brac, come with me to the inner cave.

Goov talked long time alone with Brac, and it was not before mid-afternoon when a tired, confused and hungry Brac came out of the sacred inner cave followed by the mog-ur. Goov ate what Ovra had ready for him and went out of the cave to wait for the hunters only to find Broud, who was already out siting on a large dead log. Goov looked north in the dimming light and saw the hunters coming back; four of them were struggling to carry a mid-size aurochs hanging from their spears while Vorn led and Brun walked behind. As the hunters arrived, the women took to the task of gutting, skinning and preparing the hunter's kill; Brun, looking tired, walked slowly past Broud to talk with the young magician.

- Good kill, - said Goov.

- Yes, - said Brun, - not too big to carry back, but big enough; and young, tender, I am asking Ebra to prepare some of it fresh for tonight's meal. Will the mog-ur share my fire?

- I will, - answered Goov, and then, changing the subject, - It looks like we will be ready for the next clan gathering soon, and the season is not over yet.

- Yes, and I am already looking forward to the gathering, - said Brun, - but I don't think I am going to take part in the bola contest this time; I don't care to be beaten again by a young man. Too bad that Durc is not a man yet, he is the only one in our clan who could win with the bola.

- Who knows, - said Goov, - the winter is long; someone could come out and surprise you.

Both men turned around to go inside the cave, still talking.

- I would like to talk with you and Grod before eating; - said Goov, - the women have a lot of work to do before cooking, we are probably eating late tonight. I will wait for you in my hearth and then we go inside.

After washing out the blood and the dirt from the hunt in the small underground river inside the cave, and changing to a clean wrap, Brun and Grod went first to the mog-ur's hearth, and then into the inner cave.

- I thought we let Vorn lead, - said Grod without preamble, - why this meeting?

- Ursus talked to me last night, - said Goov, - I wasn't sure about the meaning of his message at first; it was a little bit confusing.

- Spirits are usually that way, - said Brun, - aren't they?

- Mog-urs too, - said Grod.

- But after I talked to the medicine woman today, it became very clear. - continued the young magician.

- What was Ursus message? - asked Brun; as a leader, he had been always wary of Ursus's messages relayed through The Mog-ur, specially if they involved the medicine woman.

- He said, " Follow the wolf", and, "Let the wolf lead". - said Goov, but it meant nothing to the other two men, they were even more confused than before - It is an important message. Ever since we found this cave, the Spirit of the Gray Wolf has always accompanied Ursus whenever He came to me. And Zoug once told me that this cave had been the nursery of a wolf pack before we found it. There is a powerful presence of the Wolf Spirit in this cave, even the youngsters unknowingly call it "The Den"; those are powerful signs.

- But, what do they mean? - asked Brun. - And if they are important, shouldn't you tell Vorn?

- Forget Vorn! Durc! - said Goov with sudden enthusiasm - Durc is the wolf!

- Durc? Wait! - Brun didn't like the implications. - Are you sure?

- Gray Wolf totem, - said Grod.

- But what about Brac? - asked Brun even more worried. - He is prepared to become an excelent leader, we all know that. What did Uba tell you? Isn't he recovering? And Broud, what about Broud?

- Broud is easy; with what we did today, Brun, he will do as we planned. The boy is not so easy, - said Goov, - Brac's hip is damaged, it will always be weak. He may still be a hunter, but he will be far from the best; not good enough to lead.

- So Durc will be the next leader? - asked Brun. - But Vorn is decided to make Broud leader again! And we agreed to help him, Broud is easier to manage.

- Yes, and that is what confused me at the begining, - explained Goov, but now it is clear to me.

- Explain, mog-ur, please.

- You gave me the answer yourself, Brun - Goov didn't know how to smile, but his face was the perfect clan equivalent, - you called me your leader once, not long ago. Now, Durc is the Wolf, I am sure of it but, Is he the Clan leader or is he the Spiritual leader? Should we prepare him to replace Vorn or to replace me?

Goov waited a few moments to let the men think.

-Then, when Uba told me that Brac couldn't be the next leader, - said Goov, - I understood. Brac would be an excellent leader, and if he can't lead the Clan then he must be the next mog-ur. I talked to him today and now I am sure, Brac is now my acolyte and I will make the announcement tomorrow.

- But how could Durc be the next leader if Vorn turns the leadership back to Broud? - asked Brun.

- I gave the answer the other day, - said Goov. - I just didn't notice.

- Of course, Grev! - said Grod, after a moment.

- Grev and Durc are best friends, - said Goov, - they care for each other like two born together. If Durc is made leader, Grev will be happy for him; if Grev is made leader, he will follow Durc's advise. I told you, Grev is a follower.

- Follow the wolf, - said Grod, - let the wolf lead.

- Exactly, - said Goov, - not necessarily "Make the wolf leader"

- What should we do now? - asked Brun

- Now I train Brac, - said the mog-ur, - while you train Grev and Durc together. Vorn will be happy with it; Broud will be too, specially about Brac, but also about Grev. Broud seriously plans to lead again.

- Grev and Durc will be the happiest, though. - said Brun, - I am only sorry for Borg, he was going to be Brac's second-in-command.

- He will be second, - said Grod, - Is best for the Clan

The three men looked at each other for a few moments, and nodded satisfied; then they left the inner cave to go to Brun's hearth for dinner. It had been an important meeting and they had a lot of planning ahead, and a lot of work to do too.

Broud was working alone outside the cave, repairing his old bola. It had never been his favorite weapon, especially because Broud knew that he would never be as good with it as Brun was, and he had never liked not to be the best. But Brun's words after the last hunt made him think again. Now that Brun was not competing, they would surely lose the bola contest at the clan gathering; and if Brun thought that deformed brat was the best they had, then it meant that no one in this clan had any idea of how to master the difficult weapon. So he decided to work at it.

His bola was a very well made weapon, he had been very careful to follow all of Brun's indications when he made it some years ago; even Brun recognized its quality. And now that he couldn't hunt, there was plenty of time to practice. "Someone could come out and surprise you" had said Goov. Well, Brun was in for a surprise.

His leg didn't work properly, it hurt a lot when walking and was stiff. The hip and knee joints didn't have their former range of movement, and he limped badly. But the bola throwing did not require running, not even walking; Broud stood in front of a young tree, hurled the bola and let go. The pain in his leg was terrible, and it hit him so suddenly that the bola flew in any direction but the intended, and Broud fell to the ground. This was bad, very bad; but Uba had said that only exercise could make him recover the use of his leg, and he knew she was right. Controlling his pain, Broud walked to recover his weapon, and back to the imaginary throwing line. After several hours of practice, Broud hadn't made a good throw yet, but he had found a way to reduce the pain in his leg to a tolerable level. The effort however caused the damaged joints and muscles to swell, and Broud had to limp back to the cave; that night Oga massaged his sore leg with a poultice made by Uba and, despite the pain, Broud slept well for the first time since the accident.

One day, when the men had not gone hunting, Brun was explaining Grev and Durc the different uses of the spear.

- Not all animals can be faced like that, - was saying Brun, - some are too big, like a mammoth or a rhino, but you might have a chance against a charging bison, or aurochs, this way. Now Grev, suppose a full-grown aurochs is charging directly to you, What would you do?

- First thing, I don't turn my back on it, - said Grev.

- Never turn your back on a charging bull, - Durc repeated the first lesson on bulls.

- Tell me what you do, - said Brun, - not what you don't do.

- I take my spear with both hands to one side, - recited Grev, - aim to the neck or the shoulder, and use the spear as lever to push myself to that side of the bull.

- Right, - said Brun, - and remember, that is only a last resort defensive move. You won't probably kill the bull and he will go back at you, but you have gained time for the other hunters to come closer.

- Brun, - said Durc, - why not put the butt of the spear in the ground, then hold it with one foot so it won't slip and when the bull comes he will be impaled on the spear and die.

- Yes he might, - said Brun, - but he will run over you in the process, and kill you. Also your spear would most probably hit the head and break, so you will have an uninjured but very angry bull and you will not have a spear.

- And what do you do if you have no spear, - asked Durc, - like if you have stabbed one animal, and then another bull attacks you?

- Good question, Durc, - answered Brun, - It is more difficult without a spear to use as support, but the tactic is the same; you wait until the bull is too close to stop or to turn and then try to jump to one side. It is best if you have a piece of hide to flap in front of his face, then the bull will see only that and won't see you jumping to the side. If the bull hurts you, it is best to lay face down on the earth, use your hands to protect your head and stay quiet looking dead.

- But if you lie on the ground the aurochs could step on you and break all your bones, - said Grev, - like the mammoth did to Broud.

- There is always that risk, - confirmed Brun, - but a bison or an aurochs will not step on you if it can be avoided, neither a mammoth. Broud fell in the escape path of a panicked animal, and the mammoth actually tried not to step on him. It was just bad luck. A bison or an aurochs might try to get you with his horns even if you are lying quiet in the ground, but chances are that he will leave you alone if he thinks you are dead. Of course you never should try to do this in the path of a charging animal.

- Too bad you cannot stop a bull with a sling, before it comes too close, - said Durc - I wish I could throw a spear with my sling. Brun, can't you throw a spear by hand like you throw a stone?

- Where do you get these strange ideas all the time, Durc? - said Brun annoyed, - Spears are not for throwing, it's never been done before, it won't work. You must get serious, Durc; you must learn and practice the Clan ways if you are ever going to be a good leader, instead of loosing time with nonsense ideas. And you too, Grev.

- Yes Brun, - said the boys contrite.

- Now, what if a lynx or a snow leopard jumps on you, Durc? - asked Brun.

- You stab it in his mouth like Borg! - jumped ahead Grev

- Grev! - Brun was harsh this time - We are not playing! I am not loosing my time with you if you are not going to get serious. You are not a little boy anymore, you must understand your responsibilities.

- Yes Brun, - said Grev, - I will get serious.

- If a cat jumps on me, - said Durc, - I aim for the chest, and then I push the cat up with the spear so he goes high over me.

- That is correct, - said Brun, - and remember; with all cats, and with all predators in general, always look them in the eyes, never lose eye contact. Most of the time they won't attack if you stay quiet, but ready, and keep eye contact.

- Why is that, Brun? - asked Durc

- What is wrong with aiming to the mouth? - Asked Grev

Brun looked at the two boys noting the differences between them. Durc always curious; Grev, mostly stubborn. Both could be qualities, if handled properly; or defects, if taken to extremes.

- Most cats are used to attack by surprise, - Brun answered first to Durc, - they don't feel confident to attack a prey that is looking at them, even a small prey; except when they are defending their young or their kill. And, Grev, the mouth of a cat is too small a target and too difficult especially when the cat is looking; and a cat might not give you a second chance.

- But Brun, what if...? - Durc's questions led to more detailed explanations from Brun, who found hard to understand the boy's natural instinct to always look for new and different ways to do the same things. He probably got that from his mother.

The young adult wolf was restless; the pack had gone after an old reindeer the night before, and was going to be gone for the day. The young puppies under his care, born in the spring, were quite grown up and very playful; and the adult was surprisingly tolerant with them. They were chasing, and not catching, mice that were abundant in the zone; and also stalking and wrestling each other, learning and practicing their hunting skills. They were in a small clearing beside the mountain creek, downwind from the cave where the humans lived; in this place they felt secure, still the young guardian was constantly alert.

Borg, Grev and Durc were fascinated with the view. The three of them had been discussing for days with Brac and Groob, about the tracks they had been finding and Durc's determination to find the wolves. It had been Brac who deducted that the pack's nursery would be downwind from the cave, and Borg who devised a way to explore the area walking in large circles to avoid the wolves catching their scent. Borg had asked Crug for all he knew about the usual behavior of wolf packs. Durc asked Vorn, Groob asked Droog and Grev asked Broud. Brun, Grod and Goov were asked too, and the men were only too happy to see the children interested in hunting lore. Goov was the only one who thought it odd all that sudden interest in wolves, but took it as another sign of the strong influence of the Wolf Spirit on his clan. No one imagined the boys were actually going after the wolves.

The children and the young hunter were uphill and slightly downwind from the wolves, hidden behind some loose rocks and far away enough to feel safe; still Borg insisted that one of them, by turn, stayed on guard looking uphill just to avoid unpleasant surprises. From their observation point and despite not knowing how to express it in numbers, they could see there were almost as many puppies as children were in the clan. The boys spent a couple fascinating hours watching the wolves and then decided to return to the cave to tell Brac; they had gone farther than ever before so they had a long walk back. They wanted to be home before dusk to avoid questioning from the adults, so they walked at a fast pace; but they knew they were coming back, this was just too good to pass.

Most of the clan people recognized only two seasons, the warm summer and the cold winter; some learned men, mog-urs and leaders usually, recognized a third season; the wet spring. To Vorn, standing just outside the cave with Brun and Grod, the summer was almost over, but the winter was still some few weeks away.

- We are ready, - said Vorn, - the big herds are migrating to their winter territories but we are already stocked for two winters, just as we planned.

- Yes Vorn, we are. - said Brun, - Still, I was thinking in maybe another mammoth hunt; mammoths migrate south just before winter and it is the best time to hunt them, they are fat after the summer.

- No, - said Vorn, - Not another mammoth hunt this year. It is risky and unnecessary. Maybe when Brac and Groob become men, with two young hunters more maybe then. Now we must prepare for winter, and begin preparations for next year's Clan Gathering. Where is the cave of the host clan for this gathering?

- East by northeast, - said Brun, - It is Grunt's clan turn, and they explained how to get there at the last gathering. We'd have to go northeast, all the way around that inland sea, an then south by southeast.

- We are not in our same cave now, - said Vorn, - How do we know if they are in theirs? If they sent a runner to inform of any change, he wouldn't have found us.

- We shall send a runner, - said Grod

- I think I'll do that, - said Vorn, - Crug knows where that cave is, he can go and find if they are still there.

- He should go East first, - said Brun, - to Norg's clan. They are closer, and if they are still there they would know of any change.

- And if they are not, - said Vorn, - he could go to Grunt's clan traveling north from there. It would be a small detour but one that could save him a good time and he could easily be back before the first snow. It is worth the risk, I will do that.

- Who will stay at the cave? - asked Grod. This time Zoug and Dorv would not be there to stay protecting the clan's invaluable treasury of stored food and other goods.

- It is too soon to decide that, - answered Vorn, - I will think about it and reach a decision before leaving.

- It would be better to think about it now, - insisted Brun, - even if the final decision will be taken just before leaving; that way you can find if there are some actions required to be taken during winter.

- Aba must stay, - Vorn reluctantly gave in to Brun's advise, - she is too old to travel. Since she lives at Droog's hearth, I thing Droog must stay; that means that Aga and her children stay too. They won't be happy about it, so we better not make a decision until next summer.

- I am older than Droog, - Brun suggested, - and I am not taking part in the competitions. Droog is needed for the toolmaking competition and Aga is a prolific mother of four, a credit for the clan.

- You are my advisor, - countered Vorn, - I need you there, as much as I need Grod.

- Broud could stay, -said Grod

- Broud goes, - Vorn curtly dismissed the possibility

- There is something then that we must do. - said Brun, - Even if you are not making a decision until summer, it seems most probable that Droog stays; so we are going to need another toolmaker. We must push Groob ahead in his hunting and toolmaking skills and plan a manhood hunt for him before leaving for the gathering. This will be a very busy winter for him.

- You are right Brun, - said Vorn, - we must plan a manhood hunt for Groob next summer, and for Brac too; and I am very thankful for your advice, I wouldn't have thought in that implication. That just proves how much I need you by me at the gathering, there is not a chance that I let you stay.

Brac was walking back to the cave with Groob and Durc. Even if technically he wasn't a man yet, he was considered grown enough to go out with one or two of the older boys without a hunter to protect them. His arm, ribs and collarbone were completely healed and, providing he didn't run and didn't jump, his hip joint did not bother him at all. Durc's contagious enthusiasm over the wolf pack, plus the fact that the wolves would leave for the winter anytime soon, convinced him to go on this excursion; and he didn't regret it. They quickly found the nursery and were watching while the adult members of the pack brought food for the young puppies. The importance that Goov put in the influence of the Wolf Spirit was imprinted in the young acolyte's mind, and the watching of the behavior of a live pack gave him a new and profound insight on the subject. But even if Durc didn't seem to have another topic of conversation, Brac didn't want to talk about the wolves until after he had time to meditate.

- So Groob, I heard Vorn has told you to prepare for your manhood hunt next summer? - asked Brac directing the conversation away from the wolves, - You will be just as old as Borg was at his manhood hunt, and that is very young. Do you know why the rush?

- Vorn says that the clan is short of young hunters for the clan gathering, - said Groob, - with Broud hurt, there are only Crug and Borg left.

- And you Brac? - asked Durc - You are older than Groob, and you are already healed. You could have had your manhood hunt this summer.

- I cannot run yet Durc, - said Brac painfully aware of his physical shortcomings, - I cannot hunt with the clan if I cannot run.

- But you will be able to run soon, - said Groob - Vorn says that he wants us both to be hunters before the clan gathering.

- Yes you will, - said Durc - Uba says your hip will be strong enough to hunt by next summer.

- I suppose so, - admitted Brac - but she also says that I won't ever be able to hunt too often.

- But you don't have to, - insisted Durc - when you are mog-ur, the hunters will have to give you the mog-ur's share of every hunt. They did with Creb all the time.

- I suppose so. - repeated Brac, but he didn't look too convinced - Do you think Crug may be back already?

- Brun said yesterday that he should be arriving to Norg's clan today, - said Durc, - If he finds them he will stay one night and start back right away.

- Too bad that you are not a hunter yet, Durc, - said Groob, - you would have probably been there and back already. I have never seen anyone run as fast as you do.

- Yes, but it is only... - began to say Brac

- ... I know, because I am deformed, - interrupted Durc, smiling happily, - and my legs are...

The boys continued to walk back to the cave, teasing each other and having a great time; but underneath the happy carefree exterior, Brac was thoughtful...

Vorn was having breakfast at Mog-ur's hearth; early in the morning, seeing the clan's magician awake, he had approached to ask about the time when Crug would be back and the mog-ur had invited him to share breakfast.

- There has been no bad weather, - said Goov, - although the wind is getting colder and stronger; so if Norg's clan is still in the same cave, he should be back today or tomorrow. If not, he will take as many days more as there are in a woman's curse and maybe two or three additional days.

Vorn strained his brain to understand, but it was too difficult for him.

- If not today or tomorrow, - said Vorn, worried, - then many days more. Won't he get caught by the first snow storm of winter?

- He might, - agreed Goov, - winter is coming early this year. But I don't see signs of snow in the sky or in the wind, not yet.

- I was outside today at dawn, - admitted Vorn, - and I didn't smell snow in the air either, but you can never know, do you?

But Goov didn't have to answer, nor Vorn expected him to. That morning Broud was posted in the lookout; and shortly past noon Borg, who had lunched early, was sent to replace him. Almost as soon as Broud got to his hearth Borg came back in, running and shouting.

- A runner! A runner is coming! I think it is Crug!

Vorn looked at Brun, then at Grod and then at Goov; the three men had seen what Borg had to say, but each of them stayed at his own hearth and continued eating. Vorn controlled his anxiety and nodded at Borg to let him know he had understood; then returned to his meal, feigning a calm he was far from feeling, while Borg slowly returned to the lookout. If it was Crug, thought Vorn, he would be there in no time, if it was someone else they would find out soon enough; as a leader he couldn't afford a public display of emotion.

Just as Vorn was finishing his meal, Crug came in, followed by Borg, and went directly to the leader's hearth. Vorn expressed his satisfaction at seeing him back in good health and told him first to go to his hearth to eat and rest.

- You are back sooner than expected, - said the young leader, - that by itself means good news. Eat, rest, and later today I will call the hunters for a meeting so you can inform us all of your findings.

Brun nodded approvingly, Vorn was proving to be a thoughtful leader who cared first for the well being of his hunters. Broud nodded exasperatedly, he couldn't understand why Vorn didn't ask immediately for the information that he had been so impatiently waiting for. What good is to be leader, thought Broud, if you don't get what you want when you want it?

Later in the afternoon, all the men gathered around the central space of the cave to see Crug telling his news; Brac, Groob, Grev and Durc, being the older boys and already in training for heavier responsibilities, were invited to join the men. The earthquake that destroyed their old cave hadn't destroyed Norg's, something Vorn already knew, but it had destroyed that of Grunt's clan. The plan of going to Norg's clan first had been a lucky choice. According to Norg, Grunt had moved his clan northwest from his old cave, a long walk of many days but less than half of a moon cycle, very much less. Crug described the lay of the land, exactly as Norg's second-in-command had described it to him, and said that in his opinion they were closer now; almost as far as Norg's clan but in a slightly north from northeast direction instead of northeast and then southeast as before.

Brun was worried, that was too north for him to be happy; north meant Others, and nothing good had ever come from the Others. Except maybe Ayla. He thought it was odd to remember Ayla after all this time and, come to think of it, this cave was not much more than a day to the West from where they had found her; but they had been heading Southeast then.

And Crug was precisely speaking about the Others. Apparently Grunt's Clan had had some trouble with some Others, but they reached eventually an unspoken agreement; there was a river one day Northwest from the new cave and it had became an agreed border; as long as each party stayed on their side, there were no problems. Still Grunt's hunters seemed to prefer going hunting to the East and the Northeast, and to avoid going North, Northwest or West; there were no Others to the Southwest, but that was another clan's hunting territory.

Norg had expressed his earlier concern that the First Clan might not be found in time to learn the change of location for the Clan Gathering; and was very interested in the news Crug had to tell. Broud's short leadership and hunting accident, Vorn's leadership, Ayla's death curse, Dorv, Iza, Creb and Zoug's deaths; the destruction of the old cave and the finding of the new cave, and so on. In turn, Crug was told of the people of Norg's clan who died in the earthquake and their decision to stay in the same cave, since it was not really damaged; of the Cave bear Cub they had hunted for Grunt's clan, and of the group of young people who had left the clan to join another group of young people from a neighboring clan and form a new one, far to the north.

Durc had been listening awed to Crug's story, there were too many things that called his attention and excited his curiosity. But what interested him most were the mysterious and dangerous Others. He didn't really know what the Others were, he only knew that Mama had been born to them. Mama, who was so tall and so beautiful, who hunted with him and laughed with him and played the game of sounds with him. Mama, who was a woman but hunted like a man; who was born to the others but became the first medicine woman of the clan. Mama, whose golden hair captured the spirit of the sun in the summer, and whom he missed so much every time he was reminded of her.

But who were these Others? Where did they come from? Why were they such a problem to the Clan? How were they different from the Clan? Were they people too? They had to be; Mama was born to them. Then, why were they feared so much? Durc was decided to find as much as he could about these Others, he would ask Vorn and he would ask Brun; he would even ask the mog-ur. Uba had been Mama's sister, she was only a woman but she might know something; maybe he would ask Uba too. And there was something else that he could do, something that he knew he had to do. He reached a decision; there were going to be Others only a day away from the Clan Gathering and, somehow, just like this summer he had gotten to see the wolves, next summer he was going to see the Others.

After the first snowfalls Oga gave birth to a baby girl, much to Broud's disappointment, and she was named Erga; Broud's dark moods deepened and he stayed alone and away from his hearth as much as the weather permited. Winter settled in and with the cold and the snow the clan's frantic activity of the summer slowed down. But it wasn't a normal winter for the clan, preparations for the coming Clan Gathering occupied most of their time. The men made new tools and weapons and trained with them, as well outside the cave as in the inner cave when the weather precluded outcave training. The women were the most busy, furs and hides were cured, new wrappings were made; mats and watertight baskets were woven and wood containers carved and polished. Foot coverings and hoods, stone lamps, water containers made of the large stomachs of the grazing animals killed in summer, and everything they could think of to show at the gathering was prepared.

Training of the older boys was intensified. Brac, Groob Grev and Durc were instructed in every hunting and tracking technique stored in the clan's communitary memories. Physical training included wrestling, rope climbing, pole climbing, running, running-and-spear-stabbing, sling and bola throwing. Soon it became evident that Brac was not up to the challenge of the physical training; when it came to running his hip joint swelled, and the final blow was when his leg became dislocated again while wrestling with Groob. Although not only was Brac older, stronger and taller, but also outweighed easily the other boy by more than ten pounds, his weak hip joint was not able to withstand the effort. Still, and against the opinion of the medicine woman, Brac continued training with the club for the arm strenght contest, as well as the climbing, the sling, and the bola contests.

Training also made evident the large differences between the four boys. Brac was a gifted boy with so much natural skill that made the older men continuously and painfully aware of the magnitude of the loss that his hunting accident represented to the clan. Groob was a compact, strong and rather clumsy but strongwilled boy whose persistence and discipline more than compensated for his lack of speed and size. But when it came to toolmaking, his natural skill enhanced by an extraordinary ability to focus and keep his concentration, promised to surpass with time that of the man of his hearth. Grev was a slightly younger, slightly smaller and slightly less gifted version of his brother; an average runner and climber, not too good with the sling and the bola but not too bad either, what he really enjoyed was wrestling. Durc was something else; about a year younger, the mixed boy showed much more maturity than his best friend did. Not nearly as strong as Grev, or even as Igra, Durc was the fastest runner of the clan, adults included. Agile enough, light weighted and with his arms strengthened trough a summer of bola training, Durc excelled at rope and pole climbing, though not at running-and-spear-stabbing; already the best with the sling, he was slowly approaching mastership with the difficult bola. The boys competitions didn't count at the clan gathering, but were a source of pride for the young winners, and a good training for all, as well as an indication of their future status; Vorn, for example, had won the boy's race at the last Clan Gathering and now was the leader of his clan.

But the physical aspect of the boy's training was only one of many. Tracking and hunting lore, as well as animal behavior, were the subject of long "reminding" sesions; so were some very basic knowledge of weather, field medicine and orientation by the sun and the stars. Brac received additional training in esoteric matters, reserved only for mog-urs and acolytes; and Goov enjoyed the long discusions with his acolyte and the depth of Brac understanding. Groob's training put aditional emphasis in tool making, as Grev's in spear making, while Durc was instructed along with Grev in the traits and ways of the clan leaders; but unlike Brac's esoteric training this knowledge was imparted to all of them. Without having to show the skill of a specialist, Grev was still expected to be able to efficiently work the flint, as Groob was expected to produce perfectly usable spears; in fact, all four of them were.

Brac proved to be the most intelligent of the four, he was a fast learner and his knowledge of the clan's ancient legends and traditions equaled that of the most intelligent adults; but what made him more noticeable was his ability to accurately apply them to daily life situations. He was a natural leader who commanded respect and always worried himself about the various events and circumstances that affected the well being of his friends and of the clan in general. As the mog-ur's acolyte he continuously exceeded his mentor's expectations and Goov was most impatient for him to become a man, so he could be initiated in the most sacred ceremonies and spirit-world travels that were the mog-ur's realm. Groob showed no inclination towards deep thinking and had a straight-forward attitude to whatever task he was put to; he seemed able to transfer the level of concentration he showed at tool making to tracking and hunting, although that would have to be proved in a real hunt. Grev was an average boy in everything, physical or intellectual, he was very enthusiastic but his enthusiasm was always short lived; he was a good natured boy whom every one liked but who seemed unable to outgrow his childish playfulness.

But to Vorn, Brun and Grod, Durc was the real challenge. The boy was bright, though not as much as Brac, but he seemed to have some problems with the most ancient memories. He also had this annoying tendency to jump from one subject to another entirely different all the time, and to distrust anything that wasn't thoroughly explained to him. The men didn't remember anyone requiring so much explanations, and questioning so often the wisdom of every proven clan way about almost everything. Clan leadership was all about keeping and honoring the ancient clan traditions, even the inspired leadership of the greatest clan leaders, the success in breeding children and properly feeding them, the selflessness and the sacrifice of their own life for the well being of the clan, were circumscribed within the rich and complex legacy of Clan Traditions. From that point of view Durc was on his way of becoming a very poor leader, if it ever came to that. Vorn was disappointed and Brun began to doubt the wisdom of having put the strange boy in the first position of the succession line. But Goov thought otherwise.

- Follow the wolf, that's what Ursus said. Why do you find so strange then when the boy seems to lead a new path? - said the mog-ur when Brun complained.

- But that is not right, - insisted Brun, - he questions almost every bit of ancient wisdom that is shown to him. If we cannot trust our most ancient traditions, what is left there to be trusted? What future is there for the Clan?

- We must trust Ursus, - Goov was talking with empty eyes, almost as in his sleep, - Durc is different, Durc is the wolf, Durc is change; maybe it is time for change, maybe it is time for the wolf.

- No, - said Brun, - change is not good, change is bad.

- Not always change is bad, the Clan changed once, to follow the ways of Ursus; maybe the time has come to follow the wolf, maybe it is time to learn from the wolf, - continued Goov, - but then, maybe not. Broud might be leader again soon, and he might not. Nobody knows the future, Brun, only Ursus knows; as I said, we must trust Ursus.

Brun was not convinced, but there was not much he could do about it. He concentrated in training Grev, as well as Durc, and never ceased to observe the two boys. Durc, he realized, had good instincts; he was responsible and caring, serious at his training and loyal to his clan. But he was strange, too strange to be comfortable with, only Grev Groob and Brac accepted and liked him just as he was, they had grown up together after all. Maybe, thought Brun sadly, he was turning too old to understand youth.

Winter followed its course, the children went on growing and Igra finally became a woman, bringing peace of mind to her mother, and shattering Groob's peace of mind. The boy, who had been playing mates with her for some time, was acutely aware that there was only one woman available for Brac and for him. The older boys training, however, progressed as planned, and their mentors were fairly satisfied with the results. Led by Durc, the boys began to make a lot of questions about the others; it was only natural since they were probably going to be an issue at the coming Clan Gathering. Brun, and all the older hunters, spent many days reminding the boys of everything the Clan knew about the Others, which was not much, but still the insights of having lived with Ayla gave them some dubious advantage over other clans.

The winter sickness hit and most of the clan got very ill before recovering, old Aba almost died and, although Uba managed to save her they all knew this was going to be the old woman's last winter; that realization made Uba very sad. Long evenings of story telling provided not only a refreshment course on ancient Clan traditions, but also the kind of family time-sharing that strengthened the bond between the members of the clan. Brun and Ebra became the clan's storytellers, and in sharing that role they found a personal closeness denied to most clan couples; soon it became common to see Dorv, Ayla and all the smaller children, gathering at Brun's hearth asking for a story. Despite the intense preparations for the coming Clan Gathering, winter was still as always a quiet season, and when the snow began to melt the clan was restless; this was the summer of the Clan Gathering and the First Clan was eager to go.


	4. Chapter 4: Gatherings and Encounters

**Chapter Four: Gatherings and Encounters**

The clan was on its way to the Gathering, Vorn and Grod led the way while Crug and Broud kept the rear. The women and children walked all behind Uba, who in her double role of medicine woman and mate to the leader was, without question, the highest ranked female. The four remaining hunters flanked the group, Brun and Groob to the right, Goov and Borg to the left; walking at a slow pace the band of twenty four travelers crossed the prairie, still muddy from the last rains of spring, heading a little north from northeast.

It was too early in the season to be traveling, but there were several considerations that had been taken into account by Vorn. The spring thunderstorms and heavy rains had ended several days earlier, and even if the soil was still a little muddy the good weather seemed to hold; and the most important, the herds of browsers and grazers were beginning their annual migration which not only confirmed the end of the wet season but had allowed Groob to have his manhood hunt. Broud, whom Vorn was stubbornly decided to take to the Clan Gathering, still limped badly and not only would slow the pace of the group but would not be able to make the trip nonstop. Since it was known that there were Others in the vicinity of the Gathering's chosen location, a fair chance of an Others encounter during the trip had to be considered. Finally, Brac hadn't been ready for his manhood hunt; he couldn't run with the clan, so a pit-trap kind of hunt had to be planned for him if he was to be a man. The early departure solved all the problems allowing for slow traveling, camping halfway through the trip to rest and to plan Brac's manhood hunt, and for a detour if there was a chance of running into a group of Others.

Groob had taken advantage of his newly acquired condition to signal Igra every time he had a chance, and, as the days went by, was getting more and more anxious to be mated with her. The possibility of Brac becoming a man during the trip, and being given the woman he wanted, cooled a little bit the friendship he had shared lately with the older boy. But Groob had been lengthily talking with Droog on the subject before leaving and he knew there were only three things he could do about it. One was to talk to Vorn and ask outright for Igra to be given to him, as was his right as a man. The second was to talk to Brac to find out what he thought about the matter; it was a risky move, because it gave Brac the opportunity to express interest for Igra and it was never wise to get in the way of a future mog-ur, but it also gave Groob the chance to convince Brac. The third thing to do was to do nothing; there would be plenty of women at the Clan Gathering and he could easily find one, maybe one even better than Igra.

But Groob didn't want a better one; he wanted Igra. But Droog had been clear, what he could never do was to let some adult learn what was he so worried about; it was considered unworthy of a man to be so emotional about a mere woman. One night, after relieving his need with her, Groob was seated at the fire when Durc came to talk to him. The young boy was all excited with his plans to find the Others during the gathering and wanted Groob in. The young hunter let himself to be carried by the boy's enthusiasm and by the memories of last summer's search for the wolves, but after a while his dark mood returned and Durc noticed it.

- You look worried, - commented Durc, - and it is not about the Others. Are you worried about the contests at the Clan Gathering?

- Not really, - said Groob, - I am only competing at toolmaking, and since I am so young there is no shame even if I come out last. For me, there is no way to lose.

- Then what is worrying you so much? - insisted Durc, - You don't talk to us anymore, not even to Brac, who is older. Is it because now you are a man and we are still children? I know you, and I don't think so. What is it then? Tell me, aren't we friends anymore?

Groob looked up to the strange boy who, being a full head taller than he was, still was but a young child. He doubted if Durc would understand something like this being so young, but they had become close this last year and the boy might be the future leader; Groob decided he had nothing to lose.

- It is about Igra, I want her to be given to me, as my mate, - said the young man, - but I think she will be given to Brac.

- Brac is not a man yet.

- No, but he will be, soon, Vorn is planning a manhood hunt for him during the trip. - said Groob - Also he is older, and is going to have more status than me when he becomes mog-ur.

- But I don't think he likes Igra, - said Durc very thoughtful, - he has never played mates with her as far as I remember; even Grev and I had once played mates with Igra, but not Brac, ever.

- But she likes him, - insisted Groob, - she is always looking at him when she thinks nobody is noticing.

- Igra likes every one, she is very outgoing, - said Durc showing his strange half-clan smile - and every one likes Brac, he is such a great guy. But I think she wouldn't like to be the mog-ur's mate; it is very hard, look at Ovra. Besides she likes you too, I've seen her looking at you when you are not noticing.

- But she never uses the knife I gave her.

- Nope, but she always carries it with her, even to her sleeping furs.

- Are you sure?

- I have seen her, - said Durc, - and so would you if you paid attention.

Just then Brac came along with Grev to join their two friends. Durc stood up, took Grev by the shoulders and walked away with him talking enthusiastically about the Others and his plans to find them. Brac sat in front of Groob.

- How does it feel to be a man, Groob? You don't look too happy to me.

- I am happy, - countered Groob with a slight touch of aggressiveness, and then looking directly at Brac - I think I will ask Vorn to give me Igra to mate, I don't understand why I must be the only hunter without a mate. What do you think Brac?

- I think you will have to wait until after the Clan Gathering; - said Brac calmly, - there is no time for the isolation period, and I understand that is the reason why Vorn didn't want you to mate yet. But you are lucky Groob; Igra is beautiful and very hard working.

- Soon you are going to be a man too, - said Groob, - and you are older than I am; maybe Vorn will give Igra to you.

- I don't think I would accept her, - said Brac very seriously, - she is too restless; and she wouldn't be happy being mated to a mog-ur anyway, I need someone more quiet.

- Yes, Brac, - said Groob, - I think you are right. You might find someone to your liking at the Clan Gathering, you know; with your status you should not have any problem getting whomever you wanted.

- Yes, I too think so but, you know Groob, Igra is so very beautiful... I might get envious of you; maybe I am already, lucky man! - And Brac shoved Groob hard in his left shoulder sending him to the ground.

Groob stayed down lying on his back and breathing deep. Brac was a great guy and the best friend one could have, what a shame that he wasn't going to be leader; right there and then Groob decided that Brac's manhood hunt would go as smooth as could be. He would help to the best of his ability to see his friend succeeding in his first kill, he would do whatever it took to make sure of it; deep inside he felt that, somehow, he owed that to Brac.

Broud surprised everybody by not needing to stop for a rest even though the clan had traveled almost three quarters of the distance to the Clan Gathering. The slow pace set by Vorn was not pushing the former leader anywhere near to his limits, and the moderate by continuous exercise was making wonders to his leg. It was just as well; they had not found any chance to organize Brac's manhood hunt and they had now entered what, according to Crug's reporting, could be Others hunting territory. Traveling along the north shore of the inland sea, Vorn planned to cross the boundary river, which emptied into the small sea at its most northern point, as soon as they got there. The young leader had decided to take this shorter, direct route, after consulting with Brun, Grod, Goov and Crug; although the Others were known to be at the right bank of the river, they were not supposed to be found as far south as the point where they planned to cross. Still this was not the best time to stop for hunting or resting.

Crossing the river turned out not to be an easy task; fed by the spring rains the river was full and it took the clan two days of upriver travel before they found an affordable crossing. But once in the Clan side, instead of traveling east directly to the Clan Gathering Vorn decided to go northeast following the left bank upriver, sending scouts ahead looking for prey to organize Brac's manhood hunt. On the fifth day, the young eyes of the clan's forward scouts found their opportunity, a medium size herd of female reindeer could be seen crossing the river far ahead in the distance; after checking that they were downwind from the deer, Vorn ordered to set camp. Later that night, the hunters met with the leader and the three older boys.

- A large herd of reindeer has been spotted by Groob crossing the river a half day walk ahead, - said Vorn, - and I think this is the chance we were looking for.

- If they are already crossing, - said Broud, - it is already too late to hunt them. I don't think setting camp here will do any good, I say that we should continue traveling.

- Is it a male or a female herd? - asked Durc.

Realizing his own mistake, not having waited and analyzed the situation before speaking, Broud raised in anger and his face turned deep red. How dared this insolent deformed brat to interrupt at a hunter's meeting? And why was a boy allowed to attend an adult's meeting in the first place? This would have never happened if he still were the leader.

But before Broud could move against the boy he so much despised, Vorn's angry voice kept everybody quiet.

- Durc! - shouted the leader, - How do you dare to interrupt! You are not part of this meeting, boy; you are allowed only to observe, not to participate! If you cannot behave at a formal meeting you may as well leave!

Durc, shocked by Vorn's reaction, looked around and saw the same disapproving look in Brun, Grod and Goov's face. Not daring to answer, the boy lowered his gaze looking very contrite; with a sharp nod, Vorn allowed him to stay.

- Groob says that it is a herd of does, - continued Vorn, while Brun, Grod and Crug glanced amused at Broud, - and Borg confirms his opinion. Tomorrow we will scout the site to see if there is a good place to dig a pit-trap; the bucks should be here in a few days following the same path.

After inspecting the site the next day, Vorn decided that it wasn't the best place for a pit-trap; it was an open land with no narrow paths, bush barriers, trees or any other thing that might restrict the wandering of the deer. But it was also very unlikely that they found another chance, at least the reindeer's migration pattern where the male herd followed the path of the female herd gave them a slight advantage, the slight but very important advantage of knowing, beforehand, where their prey would be.

- I think everyone will agree that Broud is among us the one who knows more about pit traps, - said Vorn, - and since it is the son of his hearth who is having his manhood hunt, I think it only fair for Broud to decide where to dig the trap and how to disguise it. These are not the best conditions for a pit-trap strategy, and our only chance of success is to put the best man we have in charge.

Broud was filled with mixed emotions. Still angry for having been ridiculed by that boy at the meeting the day before, he couldn't fail to appreciate being recognized by all as the best hunter. And with this being Brac's manhood hunt, he decided to show them all who was Broud; he recognized that the chances of success were slim but he could make it happen, he would make it happen, he would build the best trap ever, there was no way he would fail.

As bad a leader as Broud was, few men knew as much as he did about hunting. The man spent the best part of the day pacing the ground, inspecting the terrain, backtracking the herd from the crossing point over and over again. Before noon he had decided where to dig. Being given the leading role, he put some men to dig while the others carefully recovered every bit of deer droppings they found. Dirt from the deer path was picked here and there, but not too much from any specific point. The dirt from the pit was carried in hides and thrown to the river, and the three older boys were sent to collect as much wood and driftwood as they could find, far away down river from the place of the trap. Broud insisted in nobody disturbing the area around the trap and the reindeer path any more than strictly necessary.

Broud had the dirt recovered from the path mixed with powdered deer droppings, and once the pit was dug, he had its walls and bottom sprinkled with that mixture. The pit was then covered with small branches off bushes and driftwood, a layer of dry leaves and, on top of that, a very thin layer of the mixed dirt and deer droppings; a task which Broud reserved for himself. Then, the rest of the dirt and deer dung was spread all over the area where the men had been, to mask their scent. Once the trap was ready, the men stayed long hours looking at it to familiarize themselves with its location. Without any marks to point at it, the trap was so well made that it was impossible to see, only the incredible memory of the clan hunters would let them know at all times where it was.

Two days after the trap was finished, the deer came. Broud's leg prevented him to participate in the hunt and Vorn, not wanting to take risks, put Grod in charge of the decisions on where to place the men and when to begin the chase. With the excuse of protecting the young man, Vorn stayed with Brac at the boy's designated stand. They didn't really need the meat, so the main target was not to secure the kill but to make sure it was Brac's kill; everyone helped, they all wanted Brac to participate in the rituals, ceremonies and activities reserved for the men at the Clan Gathering.

The trap worked perfectly, so much in fact that the biggest buck in the herd, the one leading it, ran straight into the pit. The problem was that the big reindeer didn't break any leg in the fall, and being the biggest and strongest of the entire herd, threatened to jump out of the pit and escape before Brac could get there. Groob, inspired by the hunt dance when Broud had wrestled down an aurochs, took the deer from its antlers before he could jump out and pushed him back to the pit falling into it with the big animal but never letting go. Brac arrived a second later and plunged his newest spear, made by his brother Grev, right through the buck's heart. Completely covered in blood, all bruised and scratched but essentially unhurt, Groob climbed out of the pit and stood in front of Brac.

- Great kill, Brac! Fast and clean! - said the young hunter.

- It was fast, yes, thanks to you, - answered Brac, looking critically at his dirt/blood covered friend, - but, what do you mean clean?

Brac's manhood ceremony held special additional significance for him and for Goov; it meant that the young acolyte would be allowed to participate in the most secret esoteric ceremonies reserved only for mog-urs and adult acolytes and held only at the Clan Gatherings. The ensuing feast included a lively hunt reenactment that elicited a loud gasp from Igra, the other women and the children when Groob jumped into the pit trap with the big male deer. The invisibility of Broud's pit trap was duly stressed, making the former leader beam with pride; so much that he even let Durc tell him what a great hunter he thought Broud was.

Early next morning, the First Clan was on its way to the Gathering; heading east by southeast, they were no more than two and a half days away walking at their now not so slow pace. The remaining fresh meat and the uncured deer's hide were added to the gifts that were going to be given to the host clan. Two days later at about noon, Grunt, flanked by his mog-ur and his second-in-command, greeted the exhausted travelers and offered them the hospitality of his cave; it was barely past mid-spring and they had been the first clan to arrive.

Grunt's cave was a medium sized one; big enough to hold a clan much larger than Grunt's, it was not even close to the size of Norg's cave. Being the first ranked clan, Vorn was invited to settle inside, but it was evident that no more than three clans were going to be in the cave and most would have to camp outside. That night the two clans gathered around the fires in separate groups to share news. The men gathered outside the cave around a big fire while the women and children remained inside; the older boys made a small group apart but were not allowed to go out of the cave, the younger children and the girls stayed with the women. The main topic of interest was however the same in all the groups, the Others; and Durc became the center of interest.

- I was surprised to learn that you were the new leader, - said Grunt, - and that your heir was that deformed boy. Norg sent a runner to let us know your clan had been found, and gave us the news.

- I was even more surprised, - said Vorn, - nobody expected Broud's accident, he is the best hunter; and I had already accepted the boy to my hearth even before I became second-in-command.

- He doesn't seem to have any problems with his legs or his neck, - said Grunt, - but is he strong and wise enough to be leader?

Broud had to make a big effort to refrain from speaking, but he and Vorn had spoke about the subject the night before; if was bad enough for the clan to have Durc as future leader, there was no need to make it worse by speaking bad about him. Some things, as Durc's peculiarities and the reasons behind Ayla's death curse were best left unmentioned.

- The boy is strong enough although not very much so, and has no problems with his legs or his neck; - said Vorn, - he is the fastest runner of our clan and very good with the sling and the bola. He killed his first fox in his growing year and scared a full grown wolf away with his sling in his learning year; he is two years older now and is doing very good with the bola.

There were some appreciative nods among the hunters of Grunt's clan; the sling and the bola were the two most difficult weapons to master.

- A few deformed children were born the winter after we moved into this cave, commented Grunt's mog-ur, - but they were not only deformed, their necks were so long and weak that they couldn't hold their heads up, we had to dispose of all of them.

- It was a great loss, - added Grunt, - but it couldn't be avoided. I think the spirits wanted us to reach an agreement with the Others, since the agreement no more deformed children had been born.

- But how did you reach an agreement with them? - asked Vorn, - I have heard that they cannot speak, that they are dangerous but not very smart.

- We didn't actually talk to them, we just stopped crossing to their side of the river and attacked any one of them crossing to our side. - answered Grunt - After a while, even they understood.

- Are they really as dangerous? - It was Borg who asked.

- Yes they are, - said a young hunter of Grunt's clan, - they are very tall but not too strong, still they throw their spears into the air so it is very difficult to get close once they have seen you.

- But they are not too smart, - said another, older, hunter, - it is too easy to hide from them, I don't think they know how to look. And they are easily spotted; they are very noisy.

- They act very strange too, - said the young hunter, - I've see their women carrying spears and their men cooking, I think their men are weak if they let their women behave like that. Isn't that strange? They are weak, and still they are very dangerous.

Goov was listening with great interest, he became more convinced that Ayla had been right; Durc was not deformed, he was a mixture. He was tall, he had learned a little about cooking and healing, and he had even asked Brun about throwing spears; he also remembered that he used to make a lot of strange noises with his mother when they thought nobody could hear them. And those deformed babied born to Grunt's clan after they had problems with the Others; they were not deformed, they were mixtures too, probably made by the Others totem spirits when they were frequently close to the clan women. And their necks, Goov still remembered how Durc couldn't hold his head up when he was a baby, and look at him now; maybe all the Others babies had weak necks. He thought it would be interesting to see an Others newborn, but dismissed the thought; it was very unlikely that he ever had the opportunity.

The women were talking about the Others too; how rude they were and how strange. Uba was particularly questioned about her late sister. All the women remembered the tall woman of the Others with the deformed baby who had been acknowledged the first ranked medicine woman of the Clan at the last Gathering. The pain shown in Uba's face when she refrained to expand on the details of Ayla's death curse was understood and respected, the woman had considered herself a sibling of the stranger.

- Remember that poor woman Oda? - said the medicine woman of Grunt's clan, - the same happened to several of us, and some gave birth to deformed babies. It was terrible! My heart ached with every child that had to be exposed to the cold weather. They were otherwise strong and healthy, but their necks were useless; Grunt really didn't have another choice. Mog-ur said that the Others were bad luck, and that their proximity caused the babies to be born deformed. He must have been right; there have not been any more deformed babies since they stayed away from us.

- Durc's neck was weak, - said Uba, - it took several moons before he could hold his own head. It is very fortunate that he got so strong. Oda's baby had a weak neck too, I wonder if her neck is all right now; she was promised to Durc and will be returning with us after this summer. To think that she was allowed to live only as a punishment to her mother and now she might end up mated to the leader of our clan. Who could have thought it then?

At the mention of Durc's status, the women turned to look at the boys; all the older boys, aged six or older, were gathered around a small fire listening awed to Durc, who was very expressively telling them about the wolves near their cave. Durc's theatrical vein was an unconscious imitation of Broud's, whose vivid recreations at the hunt dances had always inspired awe and admiration in the impressionable boy. The clan would never know, of course, but Durc had inherited that particular talent from his biological father. The women could tell the boy was speaking about wolves, but it didn't surprise them since that had been the boy's greatest interest the whole last summer, and didn't pay too much attention. They could never imagine that he was telling the other boys about tracking and later observing a real living wolf pack. Later, that night, Durc and Grev would take the two older boys of Grunt's clan aside to talk about the Others.

- What do you think of that Durc? - Asked Gub, the youngest son of Grunt's hearth, to his friend Zorg, a year older and the youngest of the second-in-command's - My mother says he is deformed and bad luck, and that we should stay away from him. His mother wasn't even mated when he was born, she lost her milk before his walking year and she was cursed with death when he was in his weaning year.

- I don't know if he is bad luck, - said Zorg, - but he sure is deformed, and the ugliest guy I've ever seen.

- That is true, but he is going to be the leader of his clan, - said Gub, - and ugly as he is he already has a mate arranged for his hearth. Have you seen him with the sling? He got two hares and a fat willow grouse yesterday when all the hunters came back empty handed. That doesn't look like bad luck to me.

- Maybe, but that has nothing to do with luck, he is just too good with that sling; and I've seen him practicing with the bola, he is just as good with it. He is also the fastest runner there is, I think he can run faster than the Others.

- Nobody can run faster than the Others. - said Gub matter-of-factly - Do you think he is really going after them?

- He might, - said Zorg, - he looks crazy enough to me; and that other guy, Grev, he is even crazier. Going after a pack of wolves without telling the adults, I would never dare to do that.

- But you must admit that was awesome, and I'd give anything to see a living wolf pack up close. If he is really going after the Others, I might go with him.

- You are as crazy as they are, Grunt would kill you if he found out. There is no way you are going with him... not without me at any rate...

Goov was walking with Brac, alone and away from the cave, and talking about the Spirit World. The conversation began with ceremonies in general and drifted to the one that used Iza's secret drink.

- It will be a great setback for our clan forgoing that particular ceremony; - was saying Goov, - not only for not having it but mainly for loosing its secret. Creb never came around to explaining me how the sacred drink was used. He changed a lot after that last gathering, like as if he lost his will to go on living; he never showed me anything new since then, he just reinforced everything I already knew so I could become mog-ur as soon as possible.

- Isn't there anything we can do about it? - asked Brac.

- There might just be something, but it will be very dangerous, - said Goov, - and it could be too late already.

- What is it?

- The secret of the root is in Iza's line; Uba was trained on its preparation along with Ayla and, even if she weren't, it must be in her memories. But the secret of its use is not in my memories, and I've searched thoroughly; I think it might be in someone else's memories, it must, and I think it might be in yours or in Durc's.

- But why mine or Durc's? How are we related?

- I don't know. All I know is that I've been receiving very strong signals pointing to both of you; I knew one of you would be mog-ur and the other one leader, only I thought you would be the leader. You are both strongly linked in the spirit world in any case, you will always work together and neither of you will succeed without the other.

- And Grev? Grev will be leader if Broud recovers, and I think he is recovering.

- The ways of Ursus are always mysterious, - sentenced Goov, - you will learn to observe, to be patient, and to be prepared for every turn in the events. I've been patiently waiting for you to become a man and I've been prepared for a long time, now I want you to come with me in a search within your memories; going both of us, together, is something all mog-urs must learn to do. Here, this seems to me a good place to do it, let's make a fire and then I will show you how to mix the mushrooms, the datura and...

The two men were completely alone in the middle of the open endless prairie, not a living creature was within sight distance and that was a long, long distance. They lighted a fire from a live coal Goov had brought and then built several small fires, closely spaced, in a circle. A small ceremonial fire was lit in the center of the circle and both men seated opposite to each other around it. Goov took the ingredients from his bag and began to explain to Brac its uses; several hours would pass before they began their return to the cave.

_Sssswwwack-flack-flack!_

The loud noise made by the heavy weapon wrapping around the stump of an old tree filled the air, but there was no one there to hear it save for one man; satisfied with his throw, Broud went slowly to recover his weapon. Limping noticeably but with great ease since his leg and hip didn't hurt at all, the big, strong man untangled his weapon and went back to the throwing line. He was at a secluded spot, near the cave, where he had been going every morning to practice. Concentration was the trick, and he had found it very difficult to concentrate, especially when he thought of his fate. Seeing Vorn acting like the rightful leader and his clan following him, filled the former leader with anger coupled with frustration. Seeing Brac turned a weak invalid follower of a weak mog-ur instead of a proud hunter and leader-to-be and, worst of all, seeing Durc being accepted by everybody and being trained to be leader while Grev happily trained along, infuriated him almost to the limit.

But he had learned to control his fury and bid for his time, he had learned to clear his mind and to concentrate in the target, and had developed some tricks to help. He saw Ayla standing there instead of the stump, sometimes he saw Durc, sometimes Brun, even sometimes Vorn; and he learned to close his eyes, his ears and his mind to everything else but the bola, the wind and the target. He felt the leather straps of his weapon as extensions of his own arms, the heavy stones as his own fists; and when he threw, his mind followed the flight of his bola as if it was still attached to him. And he became good at it, the best there was; he hadn't missed a throw since mid winter and he could throw farther and more accurately than no one ever before. He had channeled his anger, his fury and his frustration to his new skill; practicing was like therapy, and anticipation was like food to his tormented soul. _"Someone could come out and surprise you"_ had said Goov to Brun; well, Broud was set out to surprise everybody.

The hunters of Vorn's clan went out hunting with the men of Grunt's clan almost every other day. Whenever Vorn participated he was the leader of the hunt, in deference to his status as leader of the first ranked clan; if Vorn were not going, Grunt, Grod or Grunt's second-in-command, in that order, would lead the hunters. The clan's hierarchy was very rigid and very well defined, so there were no possible discussions, but no leader liked to submit to another's authority; therefore Grunt avoided taking part in a hunt when Vorn was going, and made a point in participating whenever Vorn didn't. Vorn in turn declined to participate in half the hunts, at Brun's suggestion, as a deference to the leader of the host clan. Hunting with so many men was easy and most hunts were successful, sometimes even getting two animals, which was a rare achievement the clan hunters were not used to.

These communal hunts were unusual and during Clan Gatherings the various clans usually hunted by themselves, but Vorn and Grunt began talking about continuing this way throughout the whole summer since so much meat was being obtained with so little effort. Goov encouraged Vorn to strengthen the links with Grunt, knowing that this time it would be very difficult to maintain the first place and that the support of the host clan might prove invaluable. Grunt's mog-ur also pointed to his leader that they were a small clan of medium-high status, and that a close relationship with the first ranked clan, plus the advantage of hosting the gathering, was bound to raise their rank among the other clans.

The immensely big cave bear held in a cage made of sturdy poles was like a magnet to all the youngsters of Vorn's Clan since the first day. Having the chance to share the daily life with the children of the host clan, without the pressure and the excitement of the competitions and ceremonies that filled the days during the Clan Gathering, the children of Vorn's clan quickly lost the fear inspired by the big beast. Soon they were calling him Tuck, the name given to the bear cub by the children of Grunt's clan as a ploy to avoid the risk of inadvertently calling him Bear, Cave Bear or Ursus. Durc used to scratch him behind his ears, something that Tuck loved, while feeding small apples or other choice treats to the tame bear; looking at him, Uba's heart ached for her lost sister, who surprised everybody doing the same since the first day at the last gathering.

- It is too far to the river, - said Gub, - one day to go, one day to return, and if you plan to search for the Others that is one more day. There is no way we can leave the cave for so many days without permission. There is no way to get permission. I tell you, there is no way to do it.

The four boys were gathered behind Tuck's cage, talking about Durc's plan to find the Others; their chosen location offered them some privacy, away from the adult's eyes but without actually leaving the cave.

- But, can't we go with the hunters as if we were going to observe the hunt? - asked Grev - Like training, we are old enough to be in training.

- But the hunters don't like to go that way, - said Zorg, - and they certainly won't go that way if they are taking us along. The Others are too dangerous, more dangerous than the wolves.

- I was not afraid of the wolves, - said Durc trying to look self-assured, - and I am not afraid of the Others either.

Zorg and Gub looked with disbelief at the strange deformed boy who seemed too skinny to be as brave as he claimed to be.

- It is true, -said Grev backing his milk brother, but teasing him as well, - he is afraid of almost nothing; he is only afraid of Broud.

- Broud? - said Gub, - That old cripple who came with your clan?

- That old cripple is the bravest and strongest hunter there is, - said Durc hotly, - he once wrestled down an aurochs with his bare hands and kept it there until the other hunters came to kill it.

Right then Broud appeared carrying his bola, leaving the cave to go to his hidden practice field. He passed by the children without even looking at them and got on his way while the four boys observed him.

- Did you see his arms? They are bigger than Grunt's legs. - said Durc, - Believe me, pal, you don't want to see Broud angry, you really don't want to see that.

Broud's arms were of course not that big, but a year of training with the club and the bola had developed him an amazing musculature; not being tall, even for the clan, his short stature only emphasized his tremendous muscular build up to the eyes of the children. In an era of inherently strong men, where the struggle for survival was the best if only training, Broud was probably the first man ever to dedicate the best part of a year almost exclusively to prepare himself for a competition.

Away from the cave, and alone with Goov, Brac was floating in a dark cold terrifying emptiness where he felt completely lost. He could feel the presence of his mentor with him but he couldn't see him. An intense fear began to grow in the young acolyte as he understood that Goov was as lost as he was; they were both floating in the dark void but they had no control, they were drifting away, and away, and away. This was the strongest preparation Goov knew, and this was the first time he had used it since the death of The Mog-ur. With it, Creb could travel trough the spirit world and through the racial memories of his kind, as far back as the very beginning. It was not as powerful as the secret root, and didn't allow for the deep intimate mind sharing, but the root could not be used for practice, so this was as close as they could get. And it was too close already; both men drifted away lost in the spirit world with no sense of direction or purpose and with no control.

Brac understood that they were doomed unless he did something; Goov could not do it, he didn't know how, but Brac should for in his memories Goov had found the evidence of some sort of control. They didn't know what it was or how it worked, but they had been so excited with their finding that decided to risk this attempt. Brac concentrated, cleared his mind of everything including the comforting presence of his mentor, and tried to focus in a point ahead of him. Slowly the dark emptiness gave way to a dark mist, and then a blue-gray light began to replace the darkness; the sound of strange drums filled the void and Brac felt himself drawn to that sound, then he saw her.

There was no doubt about the identity of the yellow-haired naked woman, her body painted in the sacred red and black markings, lying on her back inside a strange cave made of dirt; Brac didn't understand how, but he could see inside the cave. A man was lying beside her, the oldest man Brac had ever seen, a man he knew even without ever having seen him, a man of the Others who was a hunter of the Clan. They were not alone, Brac could feel the presence of several Others but he could only see two; a man with black skin and dark curly hair and a man with yellow hair and violet-blue eyes. They were both hovering around the woman, their anguish so strong that even Brac could feel it; she was not dead, but she was dying. She was so far-gone that couldn't see him hovering high above; she was as lost as he was. Then the tall man with yellow hair began to desperately call her, his love and his anguish so strong that was almost solid, and she began to come back; suddenly Brac knew what to do to save himself. Drifting away from that unnerving place of Others, Brac focused on his own feelings; he thought of his cave and of his friends, he thought of his mother Oga and of his brother Grev and the love he shared with them. He centered his mind with a strong purpose and suddenly felt himself flying through the luminous mist towards them.

Soon the mist began to dissipate and he could see the land below, he was flying high over the prairie, a land he hadn't seen before, but the strength of his feelings for the ones he loved was like a guiding beacon. Ahead in the distance was a small band of hunters stalking a herd of bison, Brac flew over them and saw it was a band of Others; then he reached a river and recognized the place of his manhood hunt. As he came nearer to Grunt's cave his speed increased, his heart beat faster and his breathing became panting. He saw Grev seated at a fire with Durc and Oga bringing them some food; but he could not stop to watch them, his head ached and his eyes seemed about to explode. Brac closed his eyes to ease the pain and when he opened them again, found himself lying on the ground on his back, looking at the sky; Goov was lying flat beside him.

- That was not the spirit world, - asked Brac, - was it? That was the real world.

- Yes, - answered Goov thoughtfully, - that was the real world. We were traveling in the spirit world but looking at the real world. I don't know how you did it; it's never been done before.

- She is not dead.

- No, she is not dead.

- But... How...?

- I don't know, Brac, - said the mog-ur, - but deep inside I have known for a long time that she is not dead. She is one of the Others, maybe the Clan curse won't work on the Others. We know she survived a first death curse and I always thought she survived the second; now I know for sure.

- That's what she told Broud, - remembered Brac, - _" I'm not dead, Broud,"_ she said,_ "I won't die. You can't make me die. You can make me go away, you can take my son from me, but you can't make me die! "_

- You saw her then too, - said Goov, - I think every one saw her then; that was not her spirit, that was her. I first thought that I had made some mistake, that I didn't do the curse right, but I have gone over it countless times in my memories and I know the curse was right; it just didn't work on her.

- We must tell Durc!

- We must tell no one!

- But...

- But nothing! - Goov was adamant - Powerful Others with hunting women immune to Clan death curses. Do you really want to tell that to your people? We won't even tell the mog-urs of the other clans; we will meditate and investigate the subject, and the next clan gathering, when we are ready, we will tell the other mog-urs. Better yet, we will show them. Then they will investigate and meditate and by the time we gather again we will all together reach some conclusions and only then we tell our leaders. It is the leaders who will decide what to do, but only after we, the mog-urs, know everything there is to know on the subject. That is the clan way.

- If she is alive, where is she?

- Far, far away to the north, I believe.

- But how did we get there?

- You got there, - said Goov, awed and at the same time proud of his pupil, - and took me with you. But how did you get there? And how did you get back? I don't know, but I thought we were gone forever.

- The drums draw me there, mog-ur. Did you hear the drums? - Goov nodded affirmatively and Brac went on. - And she was lost too, but she was called back by the force of that man's love; I never thought it possible to love a woman that much, I envy him. Then I focused my mind in the ones I love, and they guided me back; their love, or more precisely my love for them, guided me back. Who was that old man with her? I know him, but I have never seen him.

- His name is Dus, I wasn't born yet when he came to live with the clan. - Goov was straining his memories to answer Brac, - He was a wandering hunter of the Others who broke his arm in an accident; Uba, the mother of Iza's mother, healed his arm. Brun was young boy then, like Grev, Creb was not acolyte yet. He stayed after his arm healed; he was given a woman and hunted with the clan. When the clan left for the Clan Gathering, he went back to the Others. I can't believe he is still alive.

- Maybe he is not, maybe he is dead, maybe all of them are dead and living in the spirit world. - Brac was still confused - The man was an adult when Creb was a boy and Iza wasn't even born; they both died very old, the man cannot be still alive.

- I don't understand it either, - said Goov, - but I know they are all alive; maybe the Others live longer, we don't know. That is why we must tell no one; we must understand everything first.

- But if Ayla is alive, - said Brac mentioning her name for the first time, - I think Durc should know.

- Why? What for? Durc thinks his mother is dead. He begged her to take him along but she left him here with Uba, because she couldn't take him with her, because she was a spirit. But if she was not dead, then it means that she could have taken him; it means that she left him on purpose.

- She couldn't have taken him, - said Brac, - he was a baby and she was alone and only a woman; he was much better of left here with Uba, it was for his own good!

- Will Durc see it that way? Would you if it was your mother and you were his age?

Certainly not, thought Brac; he might, but Durc certainly not. But the boy had the right to know; it was something requiring deep analysis and long meditation. Being mog-ur, Brac realized, was a very complex thing, far more complex than being leader.

- Let's go back to what you did, - Goov was excited with the experience, - looking at the real world while flying like a bird in the spirit world is something I had never heard of. It has nothing to do with the drink we took; it is something within your mind. Do you think you could control it? Go where you want to go?

- I don't know, mog-ur, - said Brac, - It was frightening at first, but I think I could do it if I had a reference, something like a spiritual landmark, several landmarks, something to guide me.

- I don't know how to find spiritual landmarks, - said Goov thoughtfully, - but you are right, you need some sort of reference.

- The drums, maybe, - said Brac, - it was the first thing I noticed and I was drawn to the sound; that is how I found Ayla, Dus and the Others, they had a drummer or drummers with them. If we had a drummer with us, the sound would be a reference; it would let us fly around without drifting too far away, and we would be able to find our way back.

- Yes! A drummer! - Said Goov excitedly - I'll find us a drummer while you mix the ingredients. Do you remember the procedure?

- Yes, mog-ur, - said Brac, - but not now. The drink is good to go to the spirit world, but bad for my health; my head aches, and my stomach too, I think we should wait a day or two before another attempt, and I think I should see Uba.

- Pain and aches! - said Goov irritated, - It is not proper for a man to complain about pain and aches. The service of Ursus and the service of the Clan require of us to make a sacrifice of ourselves; there are some things that are far more important than a little pain or a little discomfort.

- I know, Mog-ur.

- And this is important! Think on what it could mean to the Clan! - insisted Goov - No more failed hunting trips; you could scout the area and find where the animals are before the hunters leave. You could find a woman, or a child, who gets lost and cannot come back to the camp. You could see if there are lions or wolves stalking the men or the camp. Think about it Brac!

- I know, Mog-ur, and I understand it is important, but our health is important too. - Brac was trying to be calm, and convincing - What good can I be to the Clan if I am dead? Or even if I am very sick? Look at yourself Mog-ur; you are younger than Broud and look older than Grod! How much longer are you going to live if you don't begin to care for your health? What are we going to do if you die, Mog-ur? Or if you become too sick before I am fully trained?

Goov agreed reluctantly that his acolyte might be right; Uba and Ovra had been telling him the same for years. Did he really look older than Grod? Surely Brac was exaggerating, all of them were exaggerating; maybe the young man was just afraid, the spirit world was always frightening at the beginning. He would give him time, a couple of days, but then he would repeat the experience; it was too exhilarating to forgo, and only Brac could take him there.

Brac walked slowly to find Uba, thinking about his experience and about his conversation with Goov. This spirit-world-flying-over-the-real-world could be really important, and he might try it again a couple of times before the Bear Ceremony. It would boost their standing among the other mog-urs. But he needed to be careful, Creb had lived long years while it was evident that Goov wouldn't, so it was up to him to decide what kind of mog-ur he wanted to be. Creb relied in his own concentration to meditate while Goov resorted more frequently to magic mushrooms, herbs and roots; and Brac's aching body was telling him those were harmful.

There was something else that worried him far more than developing this new skill or controlling his use of magical preparations, and that was the Others. He wanted to find out as much as he could about the Others, about Ayla and about Dus. He wanted to find out who was the tall man with yellow hair who loved Ayla with such force that could call her back from the spirit world. Who was that man with black skin who obviously cared for her too; was he one of the Others or was he a third kind of human? How could have Dus lived for so long? Why was a woman taking part in a ceremony with the sacred root? How could she have survived a death curse... twice?

Too many questions, too few answers; he was not going to meditate for seven years to find his answers, nor wait another seven years to decide what to do; he was going to do something soon, and that meant now. Looking around the camp, trying to find Uba, he saw Durc leading a small group of children; there was Grev and two boys of Grunt's clan. The boys reminded him of the wolf puppies he had observed last summer playing and training under the supervision of an adult wolf; even at that young age you could tell which one would become the alpha male, the leader of the pack. Durc was clearly that one despite his being the youngest of the four, and he was a restless boy; he was the one who convinced him to go after the wolves. Brac was too far away to see well what were they talking about, could it be something about the Others? The boys were talking with guarded gestures and that raised Brac's curiosity. Durc couldn't be talking about going after the Others, he was not that crazy. Or was he?

It was early in the evening and Brac was seated with Borg, Groob, Durc, Grev, Gub and Zorg around a big fire. Durc had been very, but very convincing, and having secured Brac's participation gave his plans a better chance of success. Brac had enlisted Borg and Groob, all of them had been accomplices in the wolves' affair last summer. Gub and Zorg were astounded to see three full-fledged hunters, one of them a future mog-ur, listening to Durc; and their admiration towards the strange deformed boy grew. With the three hunters their possibilities of actually getting to see the Others became real, and their excitement reached new and higher levels.

- This is just how many we are going to be, - was saying Brac, - and I don't want anybody else knowing about our plans. You are all forbidden to talk about this subject within the cave and its surroundings. Anybody else finds out and I am calling the whole thing off. Understood?

- What will we say if someone asks? - asked Gub

- We tell the truth, - said Durc making the boys of Grunt's clan nervous with his un-clan-like smile, - that we are going out with Brac, or Borg, or Groob, for tracking lessons and tracking practice; we don't have to say what are we going to track down. It worked with the wolves.

- But how do we get to go out for many days? - asked Zorg - We are going to need many days to find the others.

- We will work out a plan, - said Borg, - Brac is good at plans; Durc is good too, although his plans are a little too risky sometimes. But nothing gets done unless I approve first; I am the oldest one here and the most likely to get punished if something goes wrong. Understood?

- Understood, Borg, - chorused the four children.

- Now let's talk about something else, we are within the cave's surroundings, - said Groob. He was the youngest hunter and was as nervous as he was excited with the prospect of seeing the Others.

- Why don't you tell us about your womanhood hunt, Brac? - said Grev, - I am sure Gub and Zorg would like it.

- Yes, I am sure, - said Brac, - but it is Groob's story to tell.

- I think Durc should tell it, - countered Groob, - even if he wasn't there. He has seen the story told by Brac and me many times; he is a very good storyteller and he knows this one by heart.

- Well, - said Durc, who didn't need to be asked twice when it came to telling stories, - we were traveling along the river bank, searching for animals to organize Brac's manhood hunt, when Borg saw...

Durc, standing in front of the fire, mimicking Borg and Groob while stalking the reindeer, was quite a sight to his audience. His theatrical talent captured the attention and fired the imagination of adults and children alike. Soon a small group of women and children of all ages congregated around the fire to watch him; and after the first one, more stories were told by the untiring performer, until Uba came out of the cave to call everybody to bed.

The spring went by very quickly and soon the summer took hold of the prairie, the big herds came to feed in the tall grasses in great numbers and the hunters had their pick of prey to choose. One day at mid-afternoon a boy came running to where Grunt and Vorn were talking about the distribution of the meat, hides and other proceedings from the last hunts.

- A clan is coming! A clan is coming from the south!

It turned out to be Norg's Clan. They had been the second-ranked clan at the end of the last gathering, so they were given a space within the cave to occupy. All other clans coming to the Gathering would have to camp outside for the whole summer; not being able to provide a suitable accommodation within the cave to all their visitors was a setback for the host clan, but one that couldn't be avoided. The alternative was to pass and give another clan the chance to host the gathering, and that was unthinkable.

Norg was old; younger than Brun but older than Crug, he would probably be the oldest leader at the gathering. His clan was diminished too; they were either too old or too young, most young adults had left the clan to start a new one, and Norg's refusal to give up leadership had been the main if not the only cause. But Norg wanted to be leader of the first clan; he knew that Broud would be leader this time, and he knew he could beat Broud. The news that Vorn was the new leader of the first clan took him by surprise, but in the time since Crug visited his cave had had the time to asses the new situation. Vorn was, after all, only a temporary leader ant that by itself debilitated his position.

The arrival of Norg's clan changed the whole mood of the cave; it marked the beginning of the Clan Gathering. Soon, more clans would be arriving and setting their traveling tents to one side of the clearing in front of the cave; the excitement of seeing new people, and meeting old friends and relatives, replaced the comfort of daily life. It was known that two clans were not coming; one had been disbanded, some of its members joining the new clan formed by the young adults of Norg's clan, the others scattered among several other clans. The other clan had disappeared; their old cave destroyed by the earthquake, no one had been able to track them to their new home. Grunt, at Vorn's suggestion, sent two hunters to keep guard at their old cave to see if they went there; but the two men were gone a week already and would only wait for three more weeks.

With the arrival of Norg's clan, Durc became again the target for gossip and curiosity. Many remembered the tall pale medicine woman of the first clan, and the news that she was dead only confirmed their opinion on the bad luck that marked the life of children born to unmated women. Nonetheless, Durc's acceptance on the part of the host clan's children, along with his personal magnetism and natural leadership, had him most of the time surrounded by a small, but growing, band of children of about his age. Despite his outgoing personality, Durc was very careful not to say a world about the Others in the presence of the new children; now that his plans counted with the backing of Borg, Brac and Groob, he was not taking any risks.

Not being able to talk about the wolves or the others, conversation often centered on his late mother; and inevitably drifted to his promised mate. Ura's clan hadn't arrived yet, Norg's clan has visited them in their way to the gathering and it was known they were coming a couple days later. Durc was too young to think about mating or to really get interested in girls yet; but all the talking made him begin to think about it, and made him curious. Who was that Ura? How would she look like? All he knew was that Mama had arranged for her to be his mate, and now the boys said she was deformed. Was he really being given a deformed woman to mate?

- You are just as deformed as she is, Durc, - said Uba, - and you don't look deformed to me. You are just a little like us and a little like your Mama, Ura will surely be a little like us and a little like the man of the Others whose totem defeated Oda's.

- But mother, - Durc was actually worried, - what if she is really deformed? I mean really, really, really deformed? The boys say she is going to be very ugly.

- I've told you, Durc, - insisted Uba, - she will not be more deformed nor uglier than you are. And the looks are not important anyway, what is important is that she is hard working, obedient, worthy of you; and I am sure she is.

But Durc was not convinced, and the day when the clan with the deformed girl that was promised to the son of the first clan's medicine woman arrived, Durc stayed away until it was time to go to bed. When he finally came into the cave, Uba called him to their hearth. Seated in front the small fire, their backs to him, were what seemed to be a woman of about Oga's age, a girl of about his age and another girl two or three years younger, he knew who they were. But as he came around the fire to see them and greet them, his worst fears became real, his face blanched and a knot tightened the pit of his stomach. In front of him, seated between a middle-aged woman and a normal girl, was the ugliest young woman he had ever seen.

Ura stayed at Vorn's hearth that night. As the leader, it was his responsibility to provide for any unmated woman or any motherless child in his clan, unless and until some other man agreed to take him or her. Sleeping, for the first time on her life, away from her mother in a strange hearth and among strange people, was very hard on the girl and she cried quietly the whole night. Here eyes had always been weak, and she tried to hide her tears knowing how upset they made other people; she had wanted to make a good impression on the clan of her future mate, but everything had gone wrong.

All her life, while she was being ridiculed, despised and called "ugly useless brat" by the other children and most of the adults of her clan, she had clinged to her mother's promise of a high status mate on the first ranked clan. In the long nights, alone in her bed, she had dreamed herself a bright future with a strong handsome mate who would find her beautiful and who would give her and her children lots of food and wonderful furs; and would not let anyone speak badly of her. But the real life had its own way to crush a girl's dreams; not only was her future mate a horribly deformed ugly child, but even he despised her. He could see it in his eyes, and in his whole body language; he found her as disgusting as everybody else did. But who was he to despise her? He was as ugly and deformed as no man had ever been! And he was certainly not a man, not even a grown up boy; he was just a child! Almost a baby! Was she really going to be given to that ugly deformed baby child? Life was so unfair!

Durc was out of the cave before the first light in the morning; he didn't want to think in that Ura girl, he didn't want to see her, he'd rather think in his plan to find the Others. It was a good plan, and he was impatient to find Brac alone to talk about it; but Brac had been up earlier than him, and was with the mog-urs and their acolytes in the place of the spirits. The boy went to Gub's hearth, shared breakfast with his new friend and then went to look for Zorg and Grev. By the time the four friends got together, Brac came walking across the clearing in front of the cave and was quickly sequestered by the boys.

- I think I know how we can get away for a few days, Brac, - said Durc, - but Borg and Groob will have to help.

- I am listening, - said Brac.

- Remember Grod's new net? We could organize a fishing trip for you to teach us how to use it. - Durc was enthusiastic - We could plan to stay a few days by the river. Nobody will object if three hunters are going with us.

- It is not bad idea, - agreed Brac, - but we will have to hurry; soon other clans are coming and when the competitions and ceremonies begin we won't be able to go away for more than one day. I will talk to Borg and Groob; maybe we can leave tomorrow.

As it turned out, Brac and Durc's plan was facilitated by the fact that Grunt left the cave with the older hunters for an extended hunting trip; Vorn stayed at the cave while Brun, Grod and Crug joined the hunting party. Being more aware of the danger posed by the Others, Grunt would most probably not allowed the expedition; but Vorn, being used to Brac's outings with the children, found no reason to object, all the more so given that Borg and Groob were going along. Gub and Zorg's mothers were accompanying the hunters, and the old woman in charge of the children of Grunt's cave didn't dare to object to an invitation to the children from the young hunters of the first ranked clan. When the sun appeared over the horizon, the seven young men were already traveling northwest at a fast pace. The only restriction set by Vorn was to stay in their side of the river; none of them would dare to disobey.

As soon as they arrived to the river, they set up their traveling tents and began their preparations. The first thing was to actually train the boys in the throwing techniques of the round umbrella shaped net, so they could tell at their cave what had they learned. The net was a difficult tool to master, but by the evening Brac had managed to catch a few small fish that they ate that same night. The children of Grunt's clan hadn't seen a net like that before, and were genuinely interested. After the practice, and before going to sleep, the young men had identified a place in the riverbank, close to their camp, where to build a pool to keep their fish. Since there were no women with them to prepare the fish, they had to keep their catch alive or it would spoil very fast. To do that, they looked for a place they could isolate with medium sized rocks and stones from the rest of the river, forming a small shallow pool from which the fish could not escape. Having done that they all went to sleep.

The next morning they were ready to begin their search for the Others. They divided their group in three. Borg and Durc went looking upriver for a party of Others that could be seen from their side of the river while Groob and Grev went exploring down river. Brac stayed at the camp with Gub and Zorg, building the rock pool and practicing with the net. If some Others were found, one of the two who found them would run back to call the rest of the group while the other one would stay stalking them. Unfortunately no Others were found that day, but Gub and Zorg managed to catch their first fish, which they ate raw. Brac got a handful of medium sized trout, which were put in the rock pool. The second day at the river was pretty much like the first one, and no Others were found; but Borg and Durc reported having seen a high cliff on their side of the river from which would be able to see very far into the prairies of the Others side. The place was about a day upriver, but Brac said that it was too late already and that they should return to the cave; Borg and Groob agreed to the disappointment of the four children.

The morning of the third day at the river, the fourth of their expedition, the seven young men started the trip back to the cave very early. Even though they were carrying several handfuls of good sized fish, the mood was down and the pace was far less enthusiastic than it had been three days ago; they had found no Others. To make things worse, Grunt had been back from the hunting expedition earlier than anticipated; and despite the high spirits associated to a successful hunt he hadn't liked to learn that two of the boys of his cave were gone in an expedition to the river. Although the boys had been properly granted permission and therefore no one deserved a punishment, Grunt forbade any future trips of the boys of his cave to the river. Not wanting to be unfair, he also congratulated the boys for the fish they caught and for their interest in a new fishing tool. In fact he was very interested in the possibilities offered by that net and announced that he was going to ask Grod to show it to the hunters of his clan. But for the four boys, their failure in finding the Others was worse than any reprimand or punishment they could receive from Grunt, and not compensated by his praise.

Brac was flying over the same landscape he had traveled with his six young friends only a few days before, the steady beat of the clan drum eased his mind and gave him a sense of safety. It was his third travel and like the two first times, his mentor was with him, but it was Brac who guided. The second time they had tried this new ceremony Brac had hovered close around the cave, afraid of getting lost, but the sound of the drum played by the acolyte of Grunt's mog-ur had given him the point of reference he needed. This time he was confident enough to attempt going farther, still he was very aware of the sound of the drum and very decided to abort the trip as soon as he began to loose it; but it didn't happen, and in a few minutes Brac and Goov were looking at the rock pool where the boys had kept their fish and flying upriver towards the cliff Borg and Durc had seen. The place was a day's walk from the fishing camp, but Goov and Brac took less than an hour to get there and, seeing something far to the north, Brac turned towards it flying over the Others territory.

Goov's anxiety was so strong that it became noticeable even to Brac's untrained senses, but the sound of the steady beat of the drum plus his youth gave Brac the confidence to go on. As they approached they saw it was a large herd of onagers running south, something had scared them; then the strange, yet familiar, sound of another drum suddenly jolted Brac's brain. Fear replaced the excitement and the young acolyte turned fast south, away from the frightening and at the same time compelling strange sound. Concentrating on the clan drum, Brac closed his eyes and let himself to be drawn to it; when the feeling of floating in the air ceased the young man opened his eyes to the ceremonial fire in the place of the spirits of the host clan. Goov opened his eyes too, and, with an almost imperceptible nod, ordered Kaz to stop the drumming. The young acolyte looked at the mog-ur of the first clan with mixed feelings of fear and awe, not being a man yet, he could not participate in ceremonies and was only allowed to help; but he could tell both men had been traveling the spirit world.

- You did well, Kaz, - said Goov, - I might even ask your mog-ur to let you help us for the Bear Ceremony. But now we need to meditate alone.

The Bear ceremony! Kaz was overwhelmed, and terrified; but he would not let his fear show. Quietly he stood up, took his ceremonial drum, and left the two men alone.

- We have to go, - said Brac, - the onagers will be there by tomorrow night, and we have to be there too.

- Why? It is a day's walk at least.

- We must know for sure if they are real.

- And if they aren't?

- We must know for sure.

Goov meditated for a long time; Brac was right, of course, but the perspective of walking for a long day and climbing a high cliff didn't appeal to him.

- Nobody must know yet, - said Goov, - not until and unless we are completely sure. What are we going to say?

- We could take Durc and Grev for a short expedition before the Gathering occupies all of our time; - said Brac, - one of hose boys is going to be the leader of our clan, they require special training. And they must learn about this new ceremony eventually.

- But we cannot go away with the boys without further protection, - said Goov, - you and I are not the strongest hunters of the clan.

- We could take Borg for protection, - said Brac, - we could also take Groob if more protection is needed.

- Borg and Groob, - repeated Goov slowly looking directly at Brac's eyes, - with Grev and Durc; the wolf pack rides again, ah?

Brac couldn't hold Goov's gaze and looked immediately down, embarrassed, worried and a little afraid.

- You cannot hide anything from me, Brac, - said Goov, - but your explanations can wait; we have to focus in what we have at hands now. I think yours is a good plan. I will talk to Vorn, he will tell Borg, you tell the children. Tell them only that they are going out with us for a couple of days, don't tell them anything about the ceremony yet. They will be happy with just a second trip to the river.

The six young men arrived to the top of the cliff long after the sunset; the light of the full moon along with the gentle slope in the south face of the cliff helped them to get there. They set up their traveling tents and built a small fire to keep away unwanted visitors, then the group sat around the fire where Goov began to explain the meaning of some of the most ancient legends of the clan. Despite the long trip and having stayed awake until very late, the whole group was up before the first light; for different reasons they were all filled with anticipation, this time none of them would be disappointed.

Across the river, a herd of onagers was grazing on the new grasses of the prairie; Goov and Brac realized very excitedly that they were the same herd they had seen two days ago in their spirit travel. Both men realized the powerful implications of the new ceremony; they were bound to give the other mog-urs an astounding demonstration at the bear ceremony. They exchanged looks realizing that the boys accompanying them were going to have to be told; and therefore, Vorn and most of the hunters of their clan would have to be told too. But the day had more surprises for them; Borg's young, trained eyes had seen something else to the northwest.

- Look! Something is stalking the onagers! - said the young hunter pointing to the prairie beyond the herd.

They all looked and saw several small figures, hidden in the high grasses, crawling slowly towards the herd. The onagers were downwind from the cliff, and they could surely get the scent of the men of the clan, but the men were high on the cliff and at the other side of the river so the horse-like animals were not really afraid of them. Their stalkers, however, were downwind from the herd, and the distraction provided by the scent of the clan hunters facilitated their approach. There were about eight small figures, spread wide apart in a line parallel to the river, but the clan hunters could not tell what they were and their hunting tactic was incomprehensible to them. When they were close enough that the onagers began to show some nervousness, one of the stalkers jumped and run to the herd screaming loud sounds that the clan men couldn't recognize; the other stalkers jumped and ran ahead too while the onagers, trapped between the river and the screaming predators panicked and scattered in all directions.

- Others! - It was Durc who expressed what all of them were thinking.

The Others were carrying long but very narrow spears, obviously too fragile to be effective, and they had no chance of ever getting close to their fleeing prey anyway. Charging all of them at the same time was also the best way to scare off the onagers; these Others were the worst hunters they had ever seen. But the clan hunters were in for a surprise, after running a short distance the Others began to throw their spears at the onagers, and when the dust of the escaping herd settled, six animals were down with the tiny spears sticking out from their sides. The Others, there were nine of them actually, run to the downed animals to finish them off; the clan hunters were agape.

That night, at the fire, the conversation went around the events of that last day. They had moved their camp a little downhill so that the others, who had camped at the riverbank, couldn't see their fire.

- Six animals! - it was Vorn, the only one who knew the counting words to express it that way, who stressed the point - Six animals with only nine hunters!

- And three of the hunters were women, - added Brac, who was also begining to learn about numbers, - I am sure of that.

- And the men went to work on the animals, - said Groob, - doing the women's job.

- Yes, that is true, - confirmed Brac, - I think that only two of the women went to work on the animals, one of them was on guard duty with a spear.

- Calm down everybody, - said Goov, - I am sure there is an explanation to all what we have seen here today. Brac and I will meditate and find the answers we are all searching for; but now there is something very important I have to tell you. We knew we were going to find the onagers here today; that is, Brac and I knew.

The four youngsters stayed quiet waiting for what their mog-ur had to tell them. Goov explained about the new ceremony that Brac and himself had been practicing and about the necessity to keep it as a secret of their clan until after the bear ceremony. For the second night in a row, the clan men stayed late into the night talking. Early next morning, after checking on the Others who were working at their prey, the six young men started the trip back to Grunt's cave. Another surprise awaited them there; while they had been away two more clans had arrived, the second one bringing a girl of the Others with them. The whole camp was in an uproar; a meeting of the six leaders and their mog-urs was being called for that very night to deal with the problem.

The six leaders and their mog-urs gathered around the fire to discuss the problem of the girl of the Others brought by one of the clans. This simple fact was a clear indication of Grunt's lack of status; seven years earlier Norg, as leader of the host clan, had taken upon himself the prerogative of accepting or refusing Ayla.

- I think this must be done quickly, - said Norg openly challenging Vorn's position as leader of the first ranked clan by speaking first, - anyone with a reason to let Roug's clan stay with their girl may talk now; otherwise…

- Otherwise we will act with precipitation, - interrupted Vorn, standing up and looking around at the other eleven men, - which is something we must not do.

This first test of willpower was to go Vorn's way. Looking at each of the four remaining leaders in the eyes Vorn secured the support of Grunt, Roug and Dorn, who was the young leader of the newest clan. Nobody said a word, but the set of their jaws and the way they looked at him and at Norg was enough; only the leader of the clan who brought Uba supported Norg. Secure in his position, Vorn continued.

- I think we must hear the complete story before we commit ourselves to an opinion, - said Vorn looking at Roug, - Tell us, how is it that a girl of the Others happens to come to a Clan Gathering?

Vorn took seat while Roug stood up to tell his story.

- The girl is the daughter of our medicine woman, - began Roug, the leader of the least ranked clan, - and she is Clan.

Looks of shocked annoyance were exchanged among the audience, but no comments were made. They were the highest ranked men in their own clans and no one was to repeat Norg's breach of protocol at a formal meeting.

- As you know, we live very far to the northeast, no other clan is known to live farther that way, - continued Roug, - but no clan of the Others is known to live anywhere close to us either. When we came back home from the last Clan Gathering, however, we found our cave taken by a group of Others. They had killed the one hunter we left behind to protect the cave and the elders who stayed behind. We found out they were not too many and, fortunately, not too strong either; it seemed like as if they had been wandering for some time, looking for a cave, they were half starved and very weak too. But they fought us viciously, men and women alike, and we lost our leader before we could kill them all. They had no children with them but a couple of their women were pregnant, and when we finally came into our cave, we found a newborn baby girl hidden inside. She couldn't have been born more than a couple days earlier.

Roug had everyone's attention now.

- The baby was very small and very weak, probably born too early, she couldn't even hold her head up; but seemed an otherwise normal healthy girl of the Others, - continued Roug, - and we decided to keep her. Our medicine woman was old and only had sons, and we had failed getting a daughter of some medicine women at the gathering; so we decided to give the girl of the Others to her to train. We knew that the medicine woman of the first clan had been born to the Others, and didn't have the memories, but still became first medicine woman at the last gathering; so we decided to try. When the mog-ur said it was her naming day we named her Ena and accepted her into our clan. She was born to the Others but she is Clan now, she has been clan all her life.

Roug sat down and Vorn nodded, the story was somewhat similar to that of Ayla.

- So now she is your future medicine woman - it was more a statement than a question from Vorn.

- Not exactly, - said the mog-ur of Roug's clan, - A girl was born to our medicine woman the following summer; she will carry on her line. But the girl Ena is well trained, the first medicine woman had a son and I thought it was unlikely that she would become pregnant again, not with her Cave Lion totem; I though that she might want Ena, that is why we didn't leave her at the cave when we came to the gathering.

- Ayla is dead; - said Vorn, slowly, - my mate, Uba, is our medicine woman now and she was born to Iza's line. Uba is very young and she has already produced a healthy son to my hearth; - continued saying Vorn, unable and unwilling to hide his pride, - there is no reason to think that she won't produce in the future a girl to carry on with her line.

Without saying it, Vorn was politely refusing Ena; he still expected Broud to recover his leadership and he knew Broud wouldn't like another woman of the Others in their Clan. The downside of it was that his refusal would probably cost him Roug's support. But Roug had knowingly put himself in trouble by lack of good sense and Vorn was not about to help him out of it; that was why Roug's clan was the least ranked anyway, the lack of good sense of their leaders. The discussion went well into the night but one thing was evident, Ena had been named and accepted into the clan and there was a precedent; Roug couldn't be sent back home because of her. At the end it was decided that Roug's clan could stay, but Ena wouldn't be allowed out of her tent except late at nights and she wouldn't be allowed to participate in any of the activities of the gathering. In the following days three more clans had arrived, and the hunters sent by Grunt to their old cave were back without having found anyone; the lost clan seemed definitely lost and the official activities of the Clan Gathering began with an opening ceremony conducted by the nine mog-urs led by Goov.

Durc was beginning to feel the pressure of the prejudice against his deformity; with almost two hundred disapproving people gathered, his charismatic personality had little chance to be noticed. Still, his position as future leader of his clan did cut him some slack, mostly out of courtesy, and he was allowed to participate in the informal competitions for boys. His speed at the races called more attention to him than his deformity, but it was his skill with the bola and the sling what really gained him notoriety and made him the main subject of gossip around the camp. But the boys' competitions didn't really count, and it was Broud who became the center of attention when he surprised everybody announcing his participation in the strength competition with the club. The surprise was complete when the limping man won easily the competition over other taller and actually bigger men; so when he announced his intention to take part in the bola throwing contest he was immediately considered the favorite.

The bola throwing contest was a direct elimination process. All clans had to name at least one and no more than three hunters to represent them; Crug, Borg and Broud were named to represent Vorn's clan. At the first round Crug managed to hit the post, but failed to wrap the weapon around it Borg and Broud made perfect throws as well as five other hunters, two of them from Norg's clan. After the second round, only four of the seven contestants were left; Broud, Borg, Dorn and one of Norg's men. By the third round the arms of the men were tiring and aching from the effort of throwing the heavy weapon, only Broud and Dorn managed to make perfect throws. The two men paired against each other two more times without any of them failing the throw, but by the sixth round Dorn's pain was evident, he was covered in sweat and massaging his right shoulder with his left hand while Broud limped to the throwing line. Broud was covered in sweat too, but the look on his face while he turned to look at his competitor was one of boredom; without much preparation he made a perfect throw, his sixth, and limped slowly to recover his weapon while everyone looking made awed and admiring comments, that was when he won. Dorn understood that it was useless, that cripple was just heating up, he would make a handful more perfect throws before beginning to get tired; standing at the throwing line, he knew he was ultimately going to loose and he did; his throw missed the target entirely.

Broud was aware of all the attention his triumphs had drawn to himself, but he wasn't really happy, nor was he enjoying the many activities of the clan gathering; the former leader stayed mostly at his fire inside the cave with his mate and her little daughter. He hated to be around the camp, the name, Ayla, followed him everywhere; not only was everybody asking about the late first medicine woman, but it also seemed that every single little girl born after the gathering had been named after her. He felt better alone in his hearth, Erga was at her crawling stage and the baby was inexplicably attracted to the grumpy mate of her mother; against his own will, Broud melted to the freely offered love of the daughter of his hearth. But even as he hugged the little baby that crawled up his lap to play with his beard, Broud dreamed of the time when he would make all the traitors pay. He had proved them that he was the strongest, that he was the best; his arm hurt as if it was about to break apart at his elbow but he hadn't let anyone notice, he had showed them all who was Broud. Soon he would find a way to hunt again and then he would demand to be reinstated as leader, soon, very soon.

Groob was very nervous standing in front of his work and was unable to hide it, a jury conformed by all the nine clan leaders had been closely examining the stones he had selected and the tools he had displayed on a mat. The toolmaking contest was a subtle one, the qualification was entirely subjective; the leaders would judge his ability to select the best raw stone as well as the quality of the tools he brought to show at the gathering. Any man could enter the contest, there was no limit, but only the five best would be selected to make a public demonstration of their skill; Groob was the only one from Vorn's clan and the prejudice against his young age was his first hindrance. After judging the work of all thirty contestants, Grunt, the host leader called the five finalists.

- Daub!...

A man, older than Crug, sat down slowly in front of his mat.

- Creb!...

A young man of about Borg's age sat down clutching fervently his amulet. Creb had become a popular name in that generation.

- Brug!...

Groob grabbed his amulet hard and sent a silent prayer to his totem; twenty other young men were doing pretty much the same.

- Groob!...

The young man fell heavily on the ground in front of his displayed work, too agitated to hear the fifth and last name. Looking ahead he saw the nine leaders take seat in front of the five finalists while all the other contestants were taking their tools and stone to clear the field; behind the leaders, in front of all the women and children, Igra was looking at him. Groob examined critically the stones he had brought, he had selected them without the help of Droog, as was the requirement of the contest; he would have to take two stones and obtain one axe, one awl, one scraper and as many knifes as possible... as fast as possible. The sharp sound of the stone hammers prompted him into action, but once the process began, his concentration was absolute; when he was finished only two new knives were on display apart of the obligatory tools. Groob stood up and looked around, he was the second one to finish; the first one, Brug, had three knives.

Daub was the third one to stand up, he had four knives; a few moments later the man whose name Groob hadn't heard was the fifth and last to finish. The judges would take into account the speed and the quantity, but most of all, the quality of the tools; Brug's work was examined first, his awl and one of his knives were discarded due to poor quality. Groob work was judged and all of his tools elicited approving nods from the nine leaders; Daub's work was also approved in its totality, it was clear that he was leading the contest. Of the other two men one had his axe discarded, it was a disastrous blow, the hand axe was the easiest tool to make; the other one had all his tools approved, Groob felt his chance at the second place lost, the man had three knives. But the leaders discussed for a long time and at the end Groob was awarded the second place; he had made one knife less but his tools were of a superior quality, in spite of the fact that he had worked faster. Daub was undisputedly the best toolmaker, but he wished he could have measured his skill against Droog and not against the son of his hearth. Right after Grunt announced Groob's second place Vorn took him by the shoulder to congratulate him.

- Well done Groob, - said the leader, very ceremoniously, - Droog will be proud of you, we all are.

All the hunters of Vorn's clan crowded around the young man to congratulate him. He had been the youngest man ever to enter a competition where experience was just as important as skill. Nobody doubted who was to be the best toolmaker of the clan in the years to come, and Vorn took the merit not only for his training, but for his maturity. Groob looked around hoping to see someone, but Igra was nowhere to be seen.

Ura stayed most of the time within arm's reach from Uba, she helped the medicine woman with the gathering and the cooking, she also took care of baby Creb, who was in his nursing year, but liked to run away all around the camp causing his mother to worry. With Ura's help, Uba soon could spend more time with other medicine women, exchanging knowledge and experiences. The birth of Ovra's daughter was a particularly impressive story that began to circulate boosting the prestige of the novel medicine woman of the first clan. Broud's leg, however, was something more open to discussion. While some said it was amazing how Broud could have traveled to the clan gathering and even managed to win some contests, his incredible recovery was in itself a set back, for it made more notorious the twisted way in which his leg bone had healed.

Ura thus became a familiar figure within Vorn's hearth, and even Durc grew slowly accustomed to her once he stopped thinking that he would have to actually mate the ugly girl. Ura also began to get accustomed to Durc, and to appreciate his intelligence and personal charisma; she specially admired and found inspiring the way he made other boys, even older boys, forget about his deformity and actually follow his lead. The fact that he was the future leader was also something that changed entirely her point of view, being mated to the leader of the first clan largely exceeded her wildest dreams. Besides, not only Uba but every one in her new clan was nice with her, well, everyone but that big bad cripple who won the bola contest; except for how much she missed her mother, she liked this new clan very much more than her own. So she decided she would win that boy's interest; if he could make other boys, even the son of the mate of the leader of the host clan, forget that he was deformed and follow him, she too could make him forget about her own deformity.

Durc was wandering in the night around the camp, alone, thinking. That throwing spear of the others was simply amazing but he would not have believed it if he hadn't seen it. Grev had made a couple of long thin spears and they had been trying them in secret, but the damm things didn't fly well; they couldn't make them fly straight unless they made slow, weak, throws that lacked the force to pierce a hide. The new spears tended to fly nose up and land nose up; and worse, Grev seemed unable to throw them any appreciable distance, his friend's arms were not capable of some movements he could do. Was there some magic in those spears of the Others? Something that made it impossible for the Clan to use them? Maybe Brac could have an idea; Brac was the most intelligent person he knew, well, after Brun of course. Would it be wise to ask Brun? No, Brun had said spears were not for throwing, Brun had been wrong; it would be very unwise to tell Brun that he was wrong. Suddenly a muffled sound caught his attention, and sent his heart pumping wild; it was a sound he hadn't heard in years.

- Mama? - Whispered Durc, and immediately heard an audible gasp.

After a long silence, Durc heard another muffled sob; someone was crying, nobody else in the Clan cried; only Mama cried, alone and hidden, when Broud had been mean to her.

- Mama? - Durc had all his senses at maximum attention, and he was good at it; tracking the wolves had taught him a lot.

And then he saw her in the dark. Sitting on the ground and almost hidden under a bush, with her arms bracing her long straight legs and her chin buried in her knees, was the strangest of all girls. Save for her long hair, raven black instead of golden, and her tearful eyes of the most amazing green instead of blue, that girl looked just like Mama; to Durc, she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

- There is a girl of the Others somewhere in the camp! - said Durc, - I saw her last night, Brac!

- Yes, there is one; she came with Roug's clan.

The boy and the young acolyte were gathered with their five friends, including Gub and Zorg. The seven young men used to hang around together most of the time. Now that the competitions were almost over, Brac had very little free time and spent most of his time involved in the esoteric activities of the mog-urs; therefore he cherished the time spent with his young friends. Most boys at the gathering avoided Durc due to his deformity, and sometimes called him names; but Gub and Zorg were used to him, and being with Durc gave them the opportunity to hang around with three real hunters. Despite the insults, they knew the other boys envied them.

- Have you talked to her?

- Can she talk properly?

- I heard she is too tall and very ugly, have you really seen her?

All the boys were talking to Durc at the same time.

- Yes, I did see her, - said Durc, - but only for an instant, and it was very dark. When she saw me she ran away and disappeared.

- She can't be so ugly then, - said Groob, teasing the boy, - you scared her off because you are uglier!

- Did she really outrun you? - Gub was incredulous - How could she do that?

- Actually she didn't, - said Durc, - I tripped in the dark and fell, when I got up again there was no sign of her.

- Her name is Ena, - said Brac getting immediately everyone's attention, - and she is staying inside one of their tents. - Being acolyte he had better sources, the best in fact. - She is not allowed to leave her tent except at night and on condition that she talks to no one.

- She is about your same age, Durc, - continued Brac, - she talks properly and has been training to be medicine woman. She is also very tall, I'd say she is half a head taller than you, and yes, she is very ugly, but not half as ugly as you are, man!

Durc fell to the ground after a hard shove from Brac, soon all of them were teasing him over his ugliness, but in that friendly way Durc was used to.

- Is she uglier than Ura? - asked Grev after they all calmed down.

- I don't know if she is ugly, really, - said Brac, pensively, - she is just different. She reminds me very much of Ayla, only with black hair. And Ura? Come on Durc, Ura looks just like you!

But the boys of Grunt's clan were not interested in Ura.

- Ayla? What Ayla? - Zorg knew it was not the young daughter of his clan's medicine woman.

- Ayla is, was, Durc's real mother; - said Borg, - she was born to the Others, she is dead now.

Brac had to make a conscious effort not to contradict Borg, but the boys of Grunt's clan were very excited.

- Your mother was one of the Others?

- Why didn't you tell us?

- How was she like?

- What...?

Durc tried to answer the best he could to the infinite questions; but the truth was, he didn't remember all that many details about Mama, he just missed her so much...

The nine mog-urs were gathered in the seclusion the cave's place of the spirits, Goov did his best to explain that the root ceremony, as Creb did it, could not be repeated without Creb; but that a new ceremony could be held with the same root. The loss of Creb's incredible mental powers was a considerable set back to his standing; and the flute-playing mog-ur, a new one almost as young as Goov himself, was making the most of it. But Goov counted with the strong support of the mog-ur of the host clan, Goov has asked him for his young acolyte's help with the drum, which was a privilege; of course it had to be explained that the boy would help without actually participating in the ceremony. After a long discussion, Goov was allowed to proceed.

The selection of the three men for the bear ceremony was a hard one, this time no man had been protagonist in many competitions, many different names were heard at the various contests. Vorn had easily won the races, just as he did seven years ago against the very same men when they were boys, and Dorn had won the running-an-spear-stabbing; but they were leaders, leaders were not usually considered for the dangerous ceremony. Broud was the only man to win two competitions, but he was a cripple; just as Daub, who won the toolmaking contest, was considered to be too old. Norg's clan had won the hunt dance competition, but none of his hunters had won an individual contest. At the end, three young men were selected, including a young man from Norg's Clan, who had ended second in one competition and third in another two; Grunt's clan was also represented but no man from Vorn's clan was selected. The bear ceremony was as dramatic as always, but no one died or got too seriously hurt. Goov ordered Uba to prepare the sacred drink from the secret root and gave her a new red-dyed wooden bowl to put it in; telling her that the new ceremony required a new bowl. That way he came around the problem of the broken ancient bowl without mentioning its loss, which might have called the attention of the spirits in a not so favorable way. Uba was not too happy about it, but she had to obey Goov; she had been trained along with Ayla in the magic preparation seven years ago, she had the root in her medicine bag, she had no excuse.

The secret drink from the root was, for Brac, a mind blowing experience; suddenly he could feel the minds of the other twelve men inside his, he could see and feel their most intimate thoughts and feelings and knew they all shared his. But after the initial surprise, Brac took control, he had practiced this with Goov, he could not afford feeling afraid or even undecided. Making a conscious effort, and surprising everybody by taking the initiative despite being an acolyte, Brac flew over the camp and took the eleven astounded men and Goov with him. Using the knowledge in each of the other men's brains, Brac took them west, reached the small inland sea and followed its southern coast to find Dorn's cave. Then, after a short fly-by, he took his awed entourage in a round trip to all of their caves, one after another, ending at Roug's cave. To finish the trip, Brac decided to find some animals to hunt, closer to Grunt's cave; after the shock of realizing the practical side of Brac's power, the nine mog-urs and their acolytes helped him in the search. Soon a small herd of red deer was found hidden in a secluded narrow valley less than half a morning away. Having found what he wanted, Brac closed his and everyone else's eyes and concentrated in the sound of the drum. Drifting back to the cave, Brac reminded himself not to open his eyes until the floating sensation ended and shuddered in fear at the possible consequences of doing it too soon; all the other mog-urs and acolytes shared his thoughts. Suddenly, as he had practiced with Goov, Brac broke contact with the other men and left them to find their own way back; feeling, despite their training, their blood chill as soon as they were alone, they remembered to keep their eyes closed. When Brac opened his eyes to a circle of astounded magicians, no matter how hard they tried, no one was able to disguise his awe; Goov was looking at him with pride.

- Hunters, a small party, - said Goov ceremoniously, - one of every clan. Tomorrow, first light.

The mog-urs looked at each other, they had to know for sure; if the deer were found, Goov would secure the first ranked position Creb had held... and Brac would too after him.

The hunting party was rapidly assembled, Dorn decided to go representing his clan but Vorn, the youngest of all leaders, decided to send Crug, his best hunter. He had plans for that morning. The night before, while the mog-urs were at their private ceremony, he had held a private meeting with his advisors.

- Are you sure? - asked Vorn. They were inside the cave; everybody was outside making good use of the last days of the gathering to socialize with the exception of Broud, who was alone in his hearth.

- I am reasonably sure, - said Brun, - You count with Grunt and no one else, Norg counts with two supporters and Dorn counts only with Roug, the two other leaders are undecided. If you convinced one of them it wouldn't matter that the other went with Dorn; Grunt, being the host, would tip the balance to your favor.

- But if he went to Norg... - Grod left it there.

- You could pull a master move if you took one from Norg, - said Brun, - and you could do just that by asking for Oda. She is a third woman at the leader's hearth; her former mate gave her away when she produced a third girl.

- But how would it help us? - asked Vorn.

- Three ways, - explained Brun, - first you show that you can afford to take three new nonproductive women into your clan and provide for them. Second, you will be doing that man a big favor, and he is sided with Norg now; just make sure to let him know that you expect his support in exchange. And third; once you prove yourself by snatching one of Norg's supporters, the undecided will most assuredly lean to support you.

- Dorn will be no problem, he is too young, - said Grod, - he just wants to get back at Norg, but he tries too hard. And Roug is with him only because Norg is the one who wanted him out of the gathering.

It was very unusual for Grod to speak so much, Vorn thought carefully about his second-in-command's words.

- I am younger, - countered Vorn. - I am the youngest leader here.

- Youth usually means inexperience, selfishness and impulsiveness, - said Brun, - so you must show maturity, self-control. Dorn loves to be noticed, you must prefer your clan to be noticed. Show confidence; call attention to you by calling attention to your clan. Uba is first despite her young age, as Iza was. Broud won two contests with his bad leg. You won the race yourself, and Groob's second place at toolmaking is worth two first places. Goov and Brac have all the other mog-urs open mouthed and even I was considered the second best storyteller. Ebra won the women's story telling and our other women also did well with their handiwork; even our babies are the healthiest and best behaved of all the clans. This year the competition is very even and if you weren't so young, and worse, a temporary leader, you could have been considered first already.

The conversation had lasted until the feast of the bear ceremony began, and Broud, listening in silence from his fire, hadn't missed a word. Vorn had meditated the whole night about the things said, and now he was planning not one but two daring moves. Before the hunting party returned, he talked to Roug about Ena. He implied that his clan had not enough women, since their women produced so much more boys than girls, and that they had the experience to deal with girls of the others. He also implied that he highly appreciated Roug's foresight at training the girl in medicine, and how considerate had Roug been bringing the girl to the gathering for Ayla. It worked beautifully. Roug knew that being asked for one of his women by another clan was considered a big honor; being asked by the first clan was bound to increase his own clan's status, as long, of course, as Vorn's clan continued to be first.

The ploy worked with Oda too, just as Brun had predicted; and Vorn did let everybody know that increasing the number of women, which would have to be provided for, was no problem for the hunters of his clan. Vorn also made some offhand comments about how good a leader Norg was, surviving with his clan after loosing all of his best hunters, and how brave and strong Dorn was, taking part himself in most of the competitions despite being the leader of the newest clan. Somehow Vorn managed, without actually saying it that way, to make everyone wonder why all the best hunters of Norg's clan decided to leave. And also, by complimenting his prowess, made the other leaders aware of Dorn's lust for notoriety. When the hunters returned to tell how right Goov and Brac had been regarding the deer, Goov was confirmed as The Mog-ur and Vorn was finally acknowledged the best leader of the gathering and the youngest ever to rank first.

But when the time came to begin the journey home, two things still worried Vorn; he had only one young woman available for two unmated young hunters. But it couldn't be helped, he had planned to find a young woman for Brac or for Groob and to give Igra to the other one; but he had already brought four new women into his clan; into his hearth actually. It was not wise to increase too much their numbers when he only had four strong hunters, Brun was too old, Groob too young, Brac too weak and Broud still a long way from recovery; as for Goov, he didn't count the mog-ur as a hunter anymore. The food shortage worried him also; trying to make a display of his clan's ability to provide he had donated most of their share of the hunting and the foraging to the host clan, as compensation for the depletion of the resources in their zone. To deal with the second problem, at Brun's suggestion, Vorn decided to leave the gathering at once; his clan had been the first to arrive and now was going to be the first to leave. As was the clan way, there were neither farewells nor good-byes, only Grunt standing with his mog-ur at the edge of the camp signaling "Walk with Ursus"

Lightly loaded, and in the high spirits of having unexpectedly retained the first place, the clan journeyed back home at a much faster pace than when they were coming to the gathering. Vorn guided his people directly to the crossing, and found the river with much less water which made it far easier. Once in the Others' side, the clan traveled downriver to reach the small inland sea, and then continued southwest following its north shore. They started every morning before the first light and traveled until it was too dark to see, and soon reached the point where the shoreline turned sharply south; from that point the clan continued directly westwards and, after crossing another river, reached what was acknowledged as clan hunting territory. Relieved to be finally safe from an Others encounter, Vorn ordered to set up camp and decided to organize a hunting trip while the women and children rested. He took all the hunters except Broud, of course, Borg, Brac and Goov, who would stay to protect the camp; more men were required to guard the camp than to guard the cave. Of the women Oda was left at the camp, Vorn was still not comfortable with the new woman. Since Oda and her two daughters as well as Ena had been taken into Vorn's hearth, Uba was asked to stay and mind them. Oga and Ona were also left at the camp, since their mates were not going, but Ovra was selected to accompany the hunters and Igra was selected too given that she was not a girl anymore. The hunting party left the camp with the first lights.

With the hunters gone, the women prepared breakfast for the remaining men, the children and themselves. After finishing his breakfast, Durc and Grev asked Goov for permission to explore the area around the camp; Goov agreed on condition that Brac went with them and that they went neither too far nor for too long. The youngsters were more than happy and promised not to go too far away and to be back by noon. Brac, as the only adult of the trio led the group upon leaving the camp, but then, as usual, it was Durc who took the lead with his exuberant personality. Soon the small party found tracks of a wild boar and decided to follow it; after stealthy following the animal for some time through the bushy vegetation of the riverbank they finally caught up with it.

The boar was at the center of a small clearing looking aware and nervous. Brac checked the wind; they were neither upwind nor downwind from their prey so he signaled Durc to prepare his bola. The young hunters were trying to close the distance very slowly while moving downwind from the animal when Durc noticed something strange and called for a stop. The boar was very nervous and acting wrong, it seemed to have noticed them but didn't run away; suddenly Durc realized what was happening, something else was stalking the boar from the other side of the same clearing! The three young men froze, looking for the other predator, when suddenly a spear came flying over the bushes in front of them and stabbed the boar from side to side, instantly killing it. They all paled, they knew what kind of spear that was, they had seen it once before and not so long ago.

The man of the Others came out of the clearing to claim his kill; they could see he was alone. Brac's heart raced faster than ever before and he found himself unable to refrain, signaling the boys to follow, the acolyte walked boldly into the clearing; he knew this man, and he remembered too well where and when he had seen him.

- Greetings! - said the man of the Others looking very nervous, almost afraid of them.

The three youngsters were agape. The man could talk! But nothing could have prepared them for what happened next.

- You must be Durc, - the man said looking at the youngest of the group, - This man knows of you, this man is called Ranec.

Many moons ago, at the beginning of the summer, Ranec stood alone looking with tearful eyes the woman he loved, going away to never come back. In his hand he held the carved ivory icon in which he had expressed his love and his now dead hopes. Ayla was gone with the man she loved, a man who was not he. This had been a disastrous summer for the gifted artist, harder than what his sensitive soul could handle. He had been always the heartbreaker, never before the broken hearted, and Ayla's promise of a son of his own was too alien for him to comprehend. After crying his heart out one whole day with its night, Ranec meditated on his fate. He didn't love Tricie, not anymore; and Ayla was right in one thing she said, Tricie's love, supposing she still loved him, was not going to be enough. How long would she love him knowing that he didn't love her back? That he could never love her back? And her son, Ralev, was not the only child of his spirit; there were many of them. Were they all "his" children? Would he be willing to mate all of their mothers?

Life was not fair, and was not supposed to be easy either; he thought of Jondalar, the man who traveled three years to find a woman to love, the same woman he loved. He thought of Wymez, the man who traveled so far, and for so long, that no one expected him to come back; he too had found a woman to love in a foreign land. A woman he loved too, his mother. Slowly, he felt the need to go away growing within himself, a strong need to break off with it all. He would travel back to his mother's people; nothing retained him there. All the people and places he loved were too painful reminders of Her. Maybe if he traveled long enough, if he went far enough, maybe he would find a woman to love; one who would love him back. He prepared his traveling pack in secret, it was easy because everyone respected his wish to be left alone in the tent; and after a second sleepless night, before the first light, he left without saying good-bye.

But his leaving did not go unnoticed; as he stepped out of the big tent, something compelled him to turn around and look back. A bright pair of eyes, shining in the semi darkness of the dawn, was staring at him. The incredibly old shaman did something odd, he didn't say anything, he only made a purposeful gesture with his hand. Ranec was puzzled; turning around he walked away without answering. Had he really seen what he thought he saw? Had the old Mamut really addressed him with flathead signs? He was confused, he didn't know flathead language that much, but it seemed to him that the old man had actually said "Walk with Ursus". Then it came to him, with the force of a blow, the revelation; the old Mamut knew he was not ever coming back, and now, for the first time, he knew too.

His first intention had been to travel southwest, to find the valley where Ayla had incredibly lived alone for three years, but he changed his mind almost immediately; he would still be chasing after her. Then he considered taking Wymez route, east until finding the north end of a large inland sea and then south along its eastern shores; the western shores were flathead territory and should be avoided. But that route would take him too close to Lion Camp and he wanted to be as far away from home and as soon as possible. So he decided to travel south, the way Mamut had gone in his youth. It was flathead territory indeed, but he would be careful. Unlike Mamut when he was a young man called Darus, he was not leaving late in the season. This was the best time to begin a journey, he had no reason to expect weather problems, and he could easily avoid a flathead encounter. Besides, Ayla had said this was the year of their meeting, she called it Clan Gathering; Clan, he should remember that; not flatheads, Clan. Anyway, the territory would be empty of flatheads, Clan, Clan, CLAN! He surely wouldn't be so unlucky so as to stumble right into the CLAN Gathering. Well, he could ask for Ayla's son if he did, he had learned some flat... CLAN signs to communicate with his late little brother, Rydag. He would be able to speak to the CLAN men if worse became worst.

The first days, he questioned the wisdom of his impromptu decision to leave. He had to deal with his guilt feelings for the worries he must have caused to Nezzie, his adoptive mother, Talut, Wymez, and all the members of Lion Camp at that. But Mamut knew he was leaving, and why; the old shaman knew more than anyone thought possible, he would take care of the explanations. Ranec fell into the routine of his journey; he slept late, traveled slowly, hunted when he felt like it, foraged for greens and fruit and, usually, set up camp early. He spent his evenings carving and trying not to think in the past nor in the future, anything but the present. He observed the stars at night, the moon as it changed its appearance, the serene loneliness of the sunset, the unblemished beauty of dawn in a clear sky. He immersed himself in a journey, no only into far away lands but also into the depths of his soul, forgetting about everything else. Once he found a small cave and stopped a few days to hunt and to preserve some meat, he had not taken much from cattail camp, but after a week he was traveling again.

Traveling well into the season, Ranec lost the count of the days and the awareness of his relative location. He didn't know, nor care, whether he had entered clan territory or was still away from it; he just walked south, more or less. One day, stalking a wild boar, he failed to notice the strange behavior of his prey, and failed to notice that he was not the only one stalking it. When he was retrieving his spear, and before he could cut the wild pig's throat to drain the blood, three young flatheads appeared suddenly behind him. He was taken completely by surprise, and he was shocked twice. Rydag! But this wasn't his weak sickly brother returning from the spirit world; this was a tall, strong and healthy, young man of mixed spirits. Ranec's mind raced, he couldn't be... Could he? Ranec knew he had to do something soon; those flatheads looked ready to attack him. Now, what was the proper way to address a flat... man of the clan?

- Greetings! - He could see they had understood him, and that they were surprised to see that he knew their sign language; so he decided to risk it all. - You must be Durc, - he said, and the look in the face of the youngest of the group was all the confirmation he needed, - this man knows of you, this man is called Ranec.

* * *

_**MAP:**_

_There is a map for this story but I've found it impossible for me to post a Link to it here._

_A link to the map can be found in my **Profile**_


	5. Chapter 5: Home Again

**Chapter Five: Home Again**

The Clan arrived home in the early autumn, with plenty of time to plan the needed extra hunts in order to supplement their reserves of food for the winter. Vorn called immediately for a meeting to update Groob with the news from the Clan Gathering, and to learn what he had to tell them. Groob was astounded with the news of the man of the Others who visited their camp while the men were out hunting, but Vorn had already decided that there would be enough time in the long winter to discuss the man of the Others. Besides it was Goov the only one who knew all the details, and he who had convinced Vorn to wait for the winter. Groob beamed with pride upon learning of the second place obtained by the son of his mate at the toolmaking contest, and was courteous enough to compliment Broud for being the only man to win two competitions at the clan gathering. He also politely congratulated Vorn for retaining the first place.

The news he had to give were not all that good, although they were expected. Old Aba had been coughing most nights and they had run out of the medicine Uba left for her; there was blood in her cough and she was not strong enough to leave her sleeping furs. Vorn nodded, he felt sorry for the old woman and for her daughter; but it was not too important, they were only women anyway. Aga and baby Ayla were in good health, but he hadn't had much luck hunting in the vicinity of the cave. The wolves, aware of the absence of most of the clan, had been stalking the cave and even if they never actually attacked, he hadn't considered it safe for the women to go out foraging alone, nor for him to leave the cave top go hunting. The wolves were a source of concern, but they had been there since the beginning and Vorn felt they were a manageable problem, especially now that they were back. After hearing Droog's report, Vorn announced the changes to be made within the clan.

- There are new members in our clan, - said Vorn, - Ena, a girl from the others who comes from Roug's clan, and Oda, who comes with her two daughters from another clan. I have talked with Mog-ur and he has agreed to take Oda as a second woman and to provide for her and her two daughters; therefore, all hunters will give him the full mog-ur's share of every hunt, without him needing to ask, from now on. The formal mating will take place right after this meeting and Oda and the girls will move to Mog-ur's hearth at once.

- As for Ena, - continued Vorn, - Brun has agreed to take her into her hearth and to provide for her until the time when she is mated.

All the men exchanged looks agreeing that those were good decisions, but Groob began to worry again about Igra.

- Vorn, - said the young man, - there is another unmated woman in the clan and I have been a hunter for one full season already. If nobody objects, I want Igra to be given to me as my mate. I think it is within my right.

- Groob, - said Vorn patiently, - you are the youngest hunter in the clan; in consideration to your inexperience I won't take any additional measure this time, but never again will you interrupt the leader at a formal meeting.

Groob looked down embarrassed for having been reprimanded in front of all the hunters. The condescending look in all the other hunters only added to his embarrassment. To have been reprimanded in public over a woman!

- With the additional people, - Vorn was again addressing all of the hunters, - the meat we have stored might not be enough if the winter is long. The spirits seem to be happy with us, and the lucky hunt on the way home replaced almost all the meat we gave away to Grunt's clan, and there will still be almost a whole moon before the cold season. We will be going hunting to the prairies all the time we can, and I want every able hunter coming. Broud has proved to be perfectly able to protect the cave by himself, so he and Goov will be the only ones staying.

Goov took Oda as second mate in a simple ceremony and went with her to his hearth to begin the isolation period, and Brac went to talk to Groob.

- You must learn to be patient, - he told his young friend, - Vorn will give you Igra eventually; we know that.

- But why not now? - Groob was very put down after Vorn's public reprimands - I do not understand the delay, unless he has other plans.

- What other plans could he have? - said Brac - It is just that he is worried about the stored meat. When you mate Igra you will both have to go into isolation, and right now it is not a good time to lose a hunter. Vorn will soon feel more confident with the winter supplies, I am sure he will give you Igra then.

Groob was not too satisfied with Brac's explanations, but they made sense. If what Vorn wanted was more meat, he would make sure he got it fast; and he would make sure that Brac helped. But in the morning, when all the hunters left the cave, Brac also stayed behind with Broud and Goov. Uba had found a mild swelling in his hip joint, produced by the long journey home, and recommended that he stayed at the cave to rest so he would be able go in the next hunts.

With Mog-ur incommunicado, Brac took advantage of his status as acolyte to go with Durc and Grev into the sacred inner cave to talk about the encounter they had with the man of the Others. The man, Rec, had offered them his boar in exchange for dried traveling food; Brac would never forget Goov's shocked look when the trio walked into the camp carrying a boar and followed by a man of the others. Goov had seen this particular man before, and, like Brac, he remembered perfectly well where and when. Broud had tried to make the man go, but the fact that he understood clan language and that he wanted to trade, plus the interest on him on the part of Goov, had prevented Broud to do so. Rec stayed at the clan camp overnight and left early in the morning, by the time Vorn arrived with the hunters, the man of the others was long gone. But the long conversation with Goov, Brac and the two boys had given the mog-ur theme for years of meditation. Broud had said that he wanted to have nothing to do with the man, and had retired to his fire; but he hadn't missed a word of what was said; he would also meditate long on what the man told the mog-ur.

Rec, (this was as close as they could get to his real name and only Durc had been able to call him Ranec,) had told them he came from a clan where Dus, the wandering hunter healed by the mother of Iza's mother, was the most revered mog-ur. The clan men had trouble believing that the man could possibly be still alive, but Rec told them that it was difficult to believe for the Others too; the man's very existence was considered the most magical of his powers. But when he told them about Ayla the shock in the boys was total, particularly in Durc. Goov explained them his belief that the clan spirits were different than the spirits of the Others, and that was why the clan death curses had no effect on the woman of the Others. Probably a death curse of the Others, Goov said, would not have effect on a Clan person either. But Rec could not confirm or deny Goov's speculations; he was not a man of the spirits, he was only a hunter and an artist. But there was no clan word for artist, and after a few attempts Rec decided to give up explaining; he had many more incredible stories to tell.

Rec's story was as far-fetched as nothing Goov had ever heard of. The three years that Ayla lived completely alone in a hidden valley were a feat unheard of, but no one had ever heard of a hunting woman who survived death curses either. The tamed horses, the friendly wolf and the lion son of Ayla were also unbelievable stories, but nothing in the man's posture indicated that he was telling anything but the truth. He even conceded that most of his own people were a little afraid of Ayla's powers too. Other stories were backed by irrefutable material proof; the flying spears, of which he had several, the flint spear points, the spear thrower and the firestones, were all the object of impressive demonstrations. He even presented Goov with a flying spear equipped with a flint point.

But Rec had made Durc the main object of his attentions. He gave the boy not only a fire making kit, complete with firestone, flint striker and wood shavings, but also a flying spear, a spare spear point and, most incredibly, his very own spear thrower. Durc had tried to refuse the present, but Rec had said that he could make a new one for himself, and that he wanted Durc to have this one. He also gave Durc a powerful magical object, a carved ivory icon that resembled a woman or a bird or both, and that, Rec claimed, carried a piece of Ayla's spirit. Uba, who had been nearby listening inconspicuously to everything said about her sister, gave Durc a wolf pelt, and a wolverine hood to give to Rec in retribution. Durc added his bola, a new one he had just made, and a fox tooth, a canine from the first fox he ever killed.

The boy had made Rec endless questions, he wanted to know everything about his mother and the man who took her back to his people to mate her in a far away land; and Rec obliged. The mog-ur also had endless questions about the Others; the hunting women, the male healers, the female leaders, and every other aspect of the Others way of life as Rec had described it. He had asked also for his dark skin and Rec had told the story of his mother and Wymez; he also told them of his planned journey to his mother's people. Goov had advised him to travel west by northwest until he found a big river, and to stay on the right bank of that river. Not only was the left bank clan territory, but it would lead him into the peninsula which was, for him, a dead end. In the morning the man had left in the direction suggested by Goov.

Now, for the first time since the encounter, the three boys met again to talk about the man of the others in the privacy of the sacred inner cave.

Ranec reached the river as the clan's Mamut had said, it was a big river and, even this late in the season, it was big enough to require a boat or a raft to cross. Ranec traveled downriver for a couple of days hoping to find some people who could help him to cross, but he found no one, and being on the clan side of the river he had little hope to find some help. So when he found an old fallen tree he made up his mind, using a hand axe he cut off all the branches and roots still attached to get a long round log of good size. The young man spent two days cutting the log in two parts of the same length and tying them together to end up with a small two-log makeshift raft. Putting all his possessions, including the clothes he was wearing, securely tied on it, Ranec swam across the river pulling his raft. It was not an easy task and it took him several hours to get across, at times pulling his raft and at times grabbing it to rest. By the time he reached the other side, he was exhausted and very cold, but he managed to set up his tent, light a fire and put on his warm dry clothes. He climbed into his tent and for the first time since leaving Cattail Camp slept soundly. When he woke up early the next morning his heart felt lighter and his mind was in peace. Meeting Durc, and retelling the complete story of Ayla had been a catharsis, and gave him a sense of closure. He continued his journey south with a newfound energy, for the first time in almost a year he hadn't dreamed of Her; his dreamed now of the wonderful world that lay ahead for him to discover.

- She left me, - said Durc looking into the fire, - she was not a spirit, she did not die. She went away, and she left me.

- But she didn't know, - said Brac, - she must have thought she was dead, nobody saw her, everybody thought she was a spirit and she must have thought that too.

- No, - said Durc- she knew she wasn't dead, she said _" I'm not dead, Broud, I won't die. You can't make me die."_ That's what she said, I remember it well. And I could see her, everybody could see her, even Broud threatened to hit her.

- What can I say, man, - Brac put his arm around Durc's shoulders, - nobody knows that much about the spirits, nobody knew what to think. But you are old enough now to know this, she couldn't take you with her.

- Why not?

- You were in your weaning year. You couldn't protect yourself; there was no one to look after you when she went hunting. You would have died, most probably, and she too, trying to look after you. You heard the man, it was unbelievable that she managed to survive alone, it would have been impossible with a baby.

- I am old enough to look for myself now, - insisted Durc, - she could have come now instead of going far away to that other man's people. She could have come for me, but she chose to go with him.

- The man took her with him, he is going to be her mate, she has to obey him.

- That is not what Ranec said; she had the choice, she was going to mate Ranec but she chose that Jondar instead. If she wanted to find me, she would have mated Ranec; Ranec found me, she could have been with him when he did.

The three boys stayed in silence for a while, meditating. It was all very strange; everything Rec had said was very strange. How could a woman decide whom to mate? Had the leader no authority at all? Was Ayla really alive? Brac knew she was. They had seen the women of the Others hunting, the men cooking and preserving the meat. Was it so strange then that such a woman could choose her mate? Yes, it was, and it was beyond their comprehension; it was too uncomfortably alien. Only Durc seemed to find it possible.

- Let me see the flying spear, - said Grev changing the subject.

Durc gave his friend the spear Ranec had given him, and the three boys concentrated on it, discussing its similarities and differences with clan spears. Later they took turns throwing the new weapon. There was not too much space inside the inner cave, but enough to try for practice; after a while Durc managed to make it land nose first, but it was beyond Brac and Grev's skills.

- Look, - said Grev inspecting the weapon, - the point is damaged. It will break if we try a few more throws.

- Yes, - said Brac, - we must give the other flint point to Groob so he can make us more spare points.

- And I will make a few light spears like this for practice, - said Grev, - but we are going to need feathers, large feathers, - he added, looking at Durc.

- I think I can get those, - said Durc, making his strange smile while whirling his empty sling. But the smile disappeared suddenly; the sling had made him remember Her.

- I think he is not that ugly, - said Ura, - once you get used to seeing him. And he is going to be leader after Vorn.

Ena looked at the three boys coming out of the inner cave through mog-ur's hearth, shrugged and turned back to her task. Uba has given her a bunch of dried magic leaves that she has to grind into powder and then mix some strong smelling powdered flower petals; it was part of her continued training in medical magic. Over the long journey home, Ura had befriended the girl of the others; they were age mates, they were both considered ugly by their clans and they were both strangers in this new clan. But it was Ura who did most of the talking; she was not a very talkative girl, usually, but Ena talked even less, and Ura seemed unable to stop talking when she was alone with her new friend.

- But something is bothering him now, - continued Ura, - and it has to do with that strange man with brown skin. He's been like that since they found him.

- Are you really going to be his mate? - said Ena, pausing her job - He doesn't as much as look at you.

- It's been arranged, - said Ura, - and he doesn't have anybody else to mate. It is me or it is you. Hey! If I am given to Durc, you could be given to Grev, or to Brac. Now that is a handsome one! I wouldn't mind if he wanted to play mates with me, too bad he is already a man.

The two girls looked at the young acolyte from their out-of-the-way location at the common fire. Ura was weaving a basket and it gave her an excuse to share some time and a conversation with the tall girl.

- He won't want me, - said Ena, - I am too tall and too ugly, and I am never going to have babies; my totem is too strong. Why would a man want a tall, ugly, childless woman?

- What is your totem then? You never came around to tell me.

- Our mog-ur said it was the wolverine.

The two girls remained silent for a while; it was too strong a totem for a woman.

- What is yours?

- Mine is the hamster, - answered Ura, - like my mother. It is supposed to be lucky to have the same totem of your mother. After my mother announced that I had been promised to the son of the first medicine woman, and the mog-ur announced my totem, things went well for her. Even her mate wanted her again. But he gave her up after Uma was born, and she has a nice totem too, it is the Hare.

- She is a beautiful girl, - said Ena, - I can't wait to see Igra's face when she becomes a woman.

- Why don't you like Igra? She is nice. I like her.

- Everybody likes her, especially young men. - said Ena - Didn't you see her at the Gathering? She was making inviting gestures to every young man in sight, quite successfully I might add. It made me feel sorry for Groob. She acts as if she is the ultimate beauty in the world.

- Well, she is beautiful. What is wrong with that? I wish I were half as beautiful as she is. But, When did you see her? Weren't you confined inside your tent?

- Yes I was, but I observed everything from there. In my clan nobody liked me around, so I learned to remain unnoticed and got used to observe everyone. You can learn a lot about people observing them when they think nobody sees them.

- And what have you observed in this clan?

- Not much, so far, - said Ena returning to grinding her leaves, - Broud is bad. Vorn is good but weak, he needs Brun and Grod to be a good leader. Borg is a good man and a good hunter, just like Crug. Groob is very skilled and very brave, but he is weak too, Igra is his weakness. Brac is wise, very wise, but not as much as Durc. Durc is very strange, but he is a thinker, he is always thinking; he will be a great leader one day but you must be aware, it is not going to be easy to live with him. Grev is younger than his age, he is older than Durc but acts as if he was as old as Uma; it is just as well, he might end up mating Uma if Brac doesn't claim her first.

- Girl! You are sharp! And what about the women?

- Igra, we all know, is the beauty of the bunch, - Ena was not letting Igra off, - and I think she gets that from her mother. Ona is nice but not very bright; she thinks herself the luckiest woman on earth for being mated to Borg, which might be true since Borg thinks the same about being mated to her. Oga, poor woman, she is too used to Broud to notice. Aga is the mother anyone would like to have. Ovra makes me sad, she must have suffered a lot but she seems to be better now, although only recently; maybe it has something to do with her daughter, she is old to have only that baby. Ebra and Uka are very much the same; old women contented with their mates. Ebra is nicer though.

- And Uba?

- Uba is the best, - said Ena, - I wish she raised me instead of... But I am with her now that is what matters. She knows everything, and I mean everything! She really is the first medicine woman, and she is the youngest of all them, and the nicest. That is what I like most of this clan. We have the youngest leader and the youngest medicine woman, and they are both first. Groob was the youngest toolmaker in the competition and he almost won. Brac is the youngest adult acolyte, and I don't know what he did, but he had all the mog-urs talking about him; I am sure Goov was considered first because of Brac.

Ena finished her task and ended the conversation to go back to the medicine woman's hearth; Ura stayed weaving her basket alone, she lived at the most crowded hearth of the cave and it was not the best place for the delicate work she was doing.

By the time the winter came, the clan was well stocked for the cold season. The hunting had been good despite the fact that Brac did not use his newly discovered magic; Goov decided that it was best to work on it over the winter before making it a common practice. Vorn finally gave Igra to Groob, but not before offering her to Brac who refused. And Broud who had made a routine of going out alone to hunt in the mountain forest managed to kill the wolf that had been stalking the cave; it was a young male. The five young friends, Borg, Groob, Brac, Grev and Durc, were concentrating in the new weapon Ranec had given them, while the adults looked at them with disdain. Who had ever heard of flying spears? Oda occupied herself with the tending of the hearth and her two girls leaving Ovra free to dedicate her time to tend her baby and their mate. Droog was puzzled by the strange spear point and was working with Groob in trying, unsuccessfully, to reproduce it. Brun and Grod employed most of their time working with Vorn the finer details of leading a clan while Goov employed most of his time meditating in everything that had happened this last summer. Uba had her pharmacopoeia fully stocked and was ready for the long winter; her only worries were Ika's new pregnancy and Aba's old age. The snow came and the first clan began their annual winter retreat.

Aba was dying. It was expected, it was a common experience for all medicine women and it was not the first time, but Uba could not quite get used to death. Not when it claimed someone he knew, someone close; and the pain showed. For Ena, it was her first time; never before had she seen someone die under medical care, and it hit her hard. Two months ago she hadn't even met the old woman, but she had helped Uba with her care ever since they arrived to the cave. She had seen the gentle old lady get better under the medication, before beginning to get worse again. She had listened to her ancient stories and legends. She had spent long nights awake watching her breathing and checking her temperature; and she had grown to care. Now she was angry; she was frustrated, she was sad and most of all she was angry.

- I don't understand, - was saying the alien girl to the young medicine woman, - she began to get better, and then nothing seemed to work anymore. She is not really sick, she is just old; but she got better, at the beginning. Why couldn't she stay well?

- You just said it, - said Uba, - she is old. It is time for her to go. And she really is sick, her lungs are wasted, there is nothing that can be done. Only make her feel better, or in less pain at least.

- What good is the healing magic then? Isn't there anything to fix her lungs? - insisted the girl - She even stopped coughing blood at first. Why did the medicine stop working?

- It is the evil spirits inside her, - said Uba, - they are too strong. The medicine surprised them at first, but didn't throw them away; they recovered and fought the medicine, which is why she got fever. At the end the medicine wasn't strong enough; the evil spirits are winning this time.

- It is not fair, - Ena was crushed by the frustration, - it is just not fair. Couldn't we try some new medicine, something that hasn't been used before but that might work?

- There is no new medicine, Ena, - said Uba, - only, sometimes, a medicine you haven't heard of before. That is why medicine women exchange knowledge at the clan gatherings.

- But you taught me how to test new plants. Isn't that done to find new medicines?

- You can see it that way, but it is usually just a medicine you didn't know; anyway, it takes a lot of testing, and a very long time for such a medicine to be ready to use. You cannot just find a new powerful magic medicine out of nowhere; and most medicines are harmful too, especially new medicines, you must never forget that.

- It is not fair, - Ena repeated endlessly, - not fair, not fair... not fair at all.

- Life is not fair my child, - said Uba sadly, - no one said it was supposed to be fair.

Aba's death was the lowest point of the winter, but life renewed itself relentlessly. Ika was fast approaching the end of her fourth pregnancy, and, to Uba's shocked surprise, Ura began to show signs of being approaching womanhood. When Uba became a woman she had been of the same age Ura was now, but it had been uncommonly soon; a year or two older was more usual. And Uba had assumed, somehow, Ayla's belief that Ura, like Durc, was not deformed but mixed. Her strange sister had taken so long reaching maturity that some believed she would never become a woman. Ena, who was so much like Ayla, didn't show any sign of womanhood either. So Uba had taken it for granted that Ura would also be a late bloomer. It seemed that she had been wrong; maybe Ayla had been wrong too, maybe Ura was just a deformed clan girl like everyone else thought.

- It is useless, - said Groob, - not even Droog can make something like this.

- But it is just a piece of flint, - Durc was just as frustrated as Groob, - I can't see what is so special about it.

- It is worked bifacially, - explained Groob, - flakes are removed on both sides. It is impossible to do on a flake so small, so thin. There must be some magic on the stone; look at it, it has a different look, almost a different feel. Maybe it is a different kind of flint.

- Maybe it is just a different technique, - said Durc, - something to do with the preparation of the flint core.

- Droog has looked far into his memories, and so have I, - said Groob, - there is no technique to change the flint this way.

- But we don't have to make flint points. - said Durc - Ranec said it was best, but he also said that mammoth ivory made good spear points; he even said that the other man, Jondar, made his points out of bone before he found them. I can make a bone point; there are lots of bones from the last hunts.

- I have several light spears ready, - said Grev, - and I have been trying them. But I cannot make them go as far as that man, Rec, could. Why don't we try with that other weapon he gave you? He could throw twice as far with that.

- He said we should learn first to throw by hand before trying the spear thrower, - said Durc, - he said it was a very difficult weapon to master.

He also said that it was an invention of the man who took his mother away, but that Durc didn't say. He was just not ready to use the strange implement; it was not enough retribution for his mother.

- Still I think that you should give it to Groob, - said Brac, - he could begin to make some for the rest of us.

- Maybe he should give it to Grev instead, - said Groob, - working with wood he is better than I am.

Durc nodded absently, agreeing with Brac's request, but he couldn't avoid feeling uncomfortable with the strange new weapon. He was more interested in throwing the spears by hand.

- What I would like to learn, - said Borg, - is that fire making magic. It would be very useful in long hunting trips.

- Yes, - said Brac, - why don't you bring the fire magic and we all go to the inner cave? I am sure that Mog-ur will like to see it now that he is not in isolation anymore.

Nodding his agreement, Durc, followed by Grev, went to his hearth to get the fire making kit Ranec had given him; while Brac, followed by the rest, went to Mog-ur's hearth to ask permission to use the inner cave.

Ura looked at the acolyte coming; the five young men were acting mysterious again. Like if there was anything mysterious in men's affairs. They were surely going into the second cave, but she would go too; she would find out what were they being so mysterious about. Ura was more curious about boys lately, and had found Ena had ideas about boys and men, which were similar to hers. What was so great about men? Nothing! They couldn't even make babies! They were stronger, to be sure, and they hunted; but she could learn to hunt if she wanted, if it were not forbidden. Ena said that women were forbidden to hunt because if they did, men would become useless. She liked Ena; she couldn't talk like this to Oda, her mother, because she didn't understand her. Oda would consider her insane if she said something about hunting, she had forgotten how to think, she only did what men told her to do. No wonder why her mate gave her away, if only she used her brains she would have found a way to retain her mate. But Ena was different; Ena was a thinker, like Durc, like herself. Seeing Mog-ur about to stand up to go with the young men, Ura ran and sat in the floor in front of him.

- Mog-ur, - she said when he tapped her shoulder, - would you want this girl to prepare some tea and bring it to the men? You might become thirsty from your long discussions.

- This point will not stay in place! - complained Durc - It keeps falling apart every time it hits the target!

- But it pierces the hide easier than the fire hardened point, - said Grev looking critically the light spear he was holding, - if only it would stay in place.

The boys were at the winter practice range, right in front of the cave, testing several of the new flying spears with Borg Groob and Brac. Durc, with his overhand casts had a reasonably useful range, but not his friends. Incapable of a free swinging movement in their shoulders, they used the same angled to the side movement they used to throw stones, and despite being stronger, had far less range and accuracy.

- I think you could learn to hunt with this, Durc, - said Borg, - but I can't get enough range. With so little range there is no real advantage, and I feel more comfortable with a good solid heavy spear. Maybe this weapon is good only for the Others.

- Yes, - said Groob, - I agree with you. There is no advantage in throwing the spear, it has far less force and the point keeps falling off.

- But remember what this spear can do, - said Brac, - we all saw nine Others kill six onagers with this, and with very little effort. I think we should not give up so fast.

But only Durc and Grev seemed interested in continuing the tests, and Grev only because of Durc.

- If only it would stay in place, - repeated Grev, looking at the bone point.

- What they need is some glue, - said Ura to her friend, Ena.

Both girls, encouraged by Oda, made a point of going out every time the boys did. They sat nearby busying themselves in some womanly task, pretending not to look at the boys; but ostensibly carried water, cakes, dried meat, soft hides, and anything the boys or the young hunters might want to ask for. The boys, and also Brac and the other two young hunters, quickly grew accustomed to the girls presence and got used to ask them for anything they wanted. Oda thought that this way the boys would get used to the looks of their future mates and would learn appreciate their feminine qualities.

The two boys were not that interested in the girls, but Brac was. Goov had shared with him his suspicion that Durc and Ura were not deformed but mixed, half Clan and half Others. And was very interested in the similarities and differences between Ura and Ena and between Ura and Igra. It helped that Ura and Ena liked to be together most of the time, and Brac got used to observe the girls. He was the first to see that they were always observing the boys while pretending not to; but his mog-ur training allowed him to hide noticing his observation of them. The guarded comment of Ura about the spear point didn't go unnoticed for the young acolyte.

Later that night, Brac went to Mog-ur's hearth and walked directly to the deformed girl.

- Ura!

- Yes Brac?

- I understand you know how to make glue. - said the young acolyte looking directly at the young girl - I want you to show me.

- I know of several glues, - said Ura, - it depends on what do you want to bond. If you tell me, I can make all the glue you need.

- I want to bong wood and bone, - said Brac, - and sinew; but I don't want you to make it, I want you to show me how to prepare it.

- But making glue is a woman's task, - said Ura, - if the hunter thinks this girl is not skilled enough, Oda would be glad to do it; Oda taught this girl, and she makes very good glues.

- Ura! - It was Oda speaking, - Don't argue with the hunter! Obey him you bad girl!

- It is alright, - said Brac, - I need the glue for a weapon; that is why you cannot make it. It would anger the spirits and bring bad luck to the weapon.

- This unworthy girl was wrong, - said Ura looking down, - this girl will show the hunter how to make glue for bone and wood.

The glue Brac made by Ura's instructions seemed to solve the problem of the falling spear points. A couple of modifications made to the tip of the spear and the base of the point, as well as to the way they were tied together with wet sinew, also helped a lot. Brac was surprised by Ura's interest in the making of the weapon; the deformed girl had, in fact, suggested the modifications; and she did it in a way that made it look like as if they were Brac's ideas. Did that interest in weapons come of her Others part? Was Ena also interested in weapons? Ayla was, he remembered well, and Rec had said that Ayla had learnt to use the flying spears too. Brac's interest in both girls grew.

But he didn't have much chance to continue with his observation of Ura's behavior. Soon after the problem of the falling spear points was solved, Ura went into isolation for her first woman's curse. It was just past midwinter, so the girl did not have to spend a month alone outside the cave. A secluded place, curtained of with hides hanging from wooden frames, was arranged for her in the sacred inner cave; and for a full moon only her mother visited her once a day. After the isolation period, she would have to assume her full responsibilities as a woman, but she would continue to live at Mog-ur's hearth until mated. And that was to take a long time yet, her promised mate was still two or three years short of becoming a man.

- How are you doing with the spear throwers, Grev? - asked Durc, - have you finished one yet?

- They are much more difficult to make than I thought, - said Grev, - and Grod doesn't let me have enough free time. He says I still have a lot to learn about making spears, now he wants me to learn more about straightening wood. And when it is not Grod, then it is Brun, or Goov. By the way, Brun wants us both to go to his hearth after dinner, something to do with leadership training. Why did Brac have to get hurt? I bet he would enjoy these boring meetings with the old men.

- Grod is difficult to understand, and he doesn't like me very much, - said Durc, - but I find Brun very interesting. He knows a lot about everything. I really enjoy meetings with Brun, and I always learn a lot. I just don't understand why he doesn't seem to appreciate Broud; it is the only thing I don't understand about Brun.

- I think I know what you like so much about going to Brun's hearth, - said Grev, - and it doesn't have much to do with Brun.

- That is not true! You are wrong!

- But I've seen you very distracted at Brun's interesting stories, - teased Grev, - or maybe you just miss your Mama?

- Well, she does look like Mama, but she is nothing like her, nothing at all like her!

- I don't know, Mog-ur, - Vorn was seated at the ceremonial fire, inside the second cave, with Brun, Grod and Goov, - the spirits won't like it. It is against all traditions.

- Not really, - said Goov, - there is nothing in the traditions against throwing spears.

- There is nothing in the traditions, - said Brun, - about throwing spears.

- I don't like it; - said Grod - it is not natural.

- You are the wisest men in the clan, of course, - said Goov, - but I say; if the traditions don't forbid it then it is allowed. And, Brun, you haven't seen what I have seen; six big animals killed by nine men in less than the time it takes for the first runner to get tired. Borg, Groob and Brac saw it too.

- And the boys saw it too, - said Vorn, - that is why all those young men are so taken into this nonsense. Maybe we should forbid it.

- As long as they don't neglect their other obligations, - said Goov, - I don't see what the damage is. Let's wait and see; they are enthusiastic young men, they might surprise us yet.

The other three men were not convinced, but none of them wanted to openly oppose The Mog-ur. Goov's success at the clan gathering had changed their perception of the young magician, and they looked at him with more respect than ever before.

- What about the fire magic? - said Grod.

- The man, Rec, - answered Goov, - said it was not magic, just a new technique. It would be like making fire by turning a stick against a wooden platform, only easier. I think even the women could do it, but it should not be used for the ceremonies where the fire must be traced to home. The live coal technique must still be used in those cases.

- Have you been able to make fire that way? - asked Vorn.

- No, - admitted Goov, - Rec had very few fire stones; he only gave Durc one, but he showed us how to use it. I haven't tried it yet; the youngsters, however, have been playing with it for some time now. I've seen them make fire from the stone several times, it doesn't seem too difficult. It hasn't brought them bad luck so far either, none of the young men has gotten sick or suffered accidents this winter, they have even managed to kill a few ptarmigan, winter fox and ermines.

- With the flying spear? - Asked Grod

- No, - said Brun, - Only Durc seems able to throw it any distance, but not enough to kill something yet. They've been hunting with the slings the bola and the regular spears. But there is another weapon Rec gave Durc, some wooden thing.

- Yes, - said Goov, - he called it a spear thrower, it is supposed to make the spear fly farther; but Durc has not tried it yet. I believe it has something to do with his mother. He is still a boy, not a man, he is hurt about his mother being alive and leaving him here.

- Do you really believe she is alive? - asked Brun - She was cursed, she should be dead, she is dead.

- I know she is alive, - said Goov. - I felt it for a long time but I could not understand it; then I saw her, with Brac, the first time he traveled the spirit world. Rec only confirmed what I already knew.

- Are all the Others as powerful as to be immune to death curses? - asked Vorn worried.

- I don't think they are, - said Goov, - they are just men and women, like anybody else. But they are a different kind of men and women; they call to different spirits too, Rec talked about a Mother spirit, I think I just used the wrong curse. And I don't think a death curse of the Others could do any harm to any of us either, it would also be the wrong curse.

Goov could not admit to himself that the Others were more powerful than the spirits. He had reasoned a plausible explanation and stubbornly stuck to it. The men listening to him weren't too convinced either, but they too wanted to believe their mog-ur.

- It is good, - said Grod expressing everyone's thoughts, - that she was taken far away.

They all grunted affirmatively; despite The Mog-ur's explanations, they were glad not to have the chance of seeing the cursed woman again.

- And what will we do with the girl, Ena? - asked Brun, - She has a hunting totem too. What if she wants to hunt one day, like Ayla?

- I will not allow it. - said Vorn, - She has been Clan since newborn, she has been raised properly and taught Clan ways and traditions, she has no reason to want to hunt. And I am not all that sure that the spirits liked Ayla's hunting either.

- You are right, Vorn, - said Goov, - Ena has been raised as Clan, and I don't think she would ever want to hunt. But she is a girl of the Others, and she has a hunting totem, let's not commit ourselves before it becomes necessary.

- I will not allow it. - Vorn was adamant.

The four men, who were the ones that ruled the clan, continued talking through the evening and into the night, reviewing not only the influence of the man of the Others in the clan but all aspects of the life of the clan that late in the season.

The winter followed its course without any important incident, the progress made by the boys and the young hunters with the new spear was very slow and the older men soon lost interest in it. The fire stone was studied by Goov and Vorn, but since it was ostensibly a present, only Durc could use it regularly; soon all the women were asking the boy to help them lighting fires. Fire was not usually started at the cave, it was easier to take a burning piece of wood from one fireplace to another, but everybody seemed to enjoy seeing the magic stone producing fire. Vorn made a mental note to search for more of those fire stones in the spring. Nearing the end of the cold season, the time came to Ika to give birth.

- Ena! - called the medicine woman, - Hurry up with that water! And be careful, it is hot!

Ena was excited by the impending birth, although she had been training at medicine magic in her original cave, and even if she helped with the care of pregnant women, she had never been allowed to help in the actual delivery. It was thought that her strong totem, a male totem, could affect the birth process and even deform the baby; so she was forbidden to be present just like if she were a man. But her new clan had been accustomed to have Ayla, first helping the medicine woman, and later being the medicine woman herself. Ena was surprised, and delighted, to find that she was not only allowed to be present, but, as a trainee medicine woman, she was actually expected to help.

When the time came, Uba helped Ika into a squatting position and it was Ena who received the tiny baby coming head first down his mother's birth canal. Then, while the tall pale girl held the baby, Ika expelled the bloody afterbirth and lay down again, exhausted. Uba cleared the baby's mouth of mucous with her finger and told Ena to lay the baby on his mother's stomach. A short weak wail followed by a loud strong cry announced the new life to everyone in the cave. Uba cut the umbilical cord after tying it with red sinew while Ika raised her head to look at her new son. After finishing cleaning the baby and the mother, Uba went to inform the leader of the successful delivery of a baby boy; Ena was glued to Ika's bedside, completely caught by the sight of the miracle of life.

Durc was out of the cave on his own, which was unusual, but Grev was busy with Grod, Brac was with Mog-ur, and Groob was with Droog. He would have been with Brun, but the former leader was deep in conversation with the present leader. Durc knew he could not go too far, it was forbidden for him to go far when alone, but he could not stay in the cave; he was too restless.

Taking his sling, his bola, and his new flying spear, the boy walked uphill from the cave into the sparse mountain forest now bared by the winter. Soon he found a small footprint and recognized it as belonging to a wolverine, so the boy began to follow the track of the small meat eater. Tracking the wolves, last summer, had honed his natural skill and it was not long before the boy deducted from the track and his own knowledge of the surroundings what his prey was doing. It was a young male trying to establish his hunting territory; it was also a sign that the spring was close. Durc took a shortcut, downhill, to a point near the river where he thought the wolverine would eventually come, if only for water. He positioned himself downwind from where he thought the weasel would appear and, moments later he was proved right. The small carnivore was very weary while approaching the water and Durc remembered not to try while it was drinking. A small animal, drinking, was always in a vulnerable position, and the wolverine would have all its senses in full alert; but, after finishing, the small animal was more confident. Running across the small clearing, directly to where the boy was hiding, the young animal fell to a hard flung pebble from Durc's deadly sling.

There! This was going to be a nice hood, too bad that he got it so late in the season, wolverines made the best hoods for winter. Durc walked briskly to retrieve his prey and, in doing so, made the same mistake that killed the small meat eater; he felt too confident. He was not the only one after the fallen weasel, as he came beside the wolverine's limp body; a low-pitched menacing growl froze his blood. Right in front of him, not more than a handful paces away, a big wolf had come out of the woods and was about to jump on him.

Durc's first impulse was to throw a stone with his sling, but he remembered Vorn's lessons and looked at the wolf in the eyes wielding his spear and growling back. He was carrying the new light, flying, spear, and for an instant was tempted to throw it at the wolf, but checked himself just in time; if he missed the throw, he would be defenseless. The tall skinny boy was well within the range of the young adult wolf, but Durc's determined stand confused the animal; suddenly he didn't seem so easy a prey, he was too skinny anyway, not worth the risk. Durc raised his spear and took a step towards the wolf, it was a strange wolf, thought Durc, and suddenly realized it was a white wolf!

The meat eater sensed the change in the look of Durc's eyes; this was not a weak young animal afraid of him, this one wanted his pelt! The wolf began to doubt the outcome of this incident and his tail, held straight until then, slowly began to drop. Still growling, Durc took another step forward; two more steps and he was going to get himself a white wolf pelt. But the wolf had other ideas; faster than Durc could move, made a fast turn and escaped at full speed. Shaking from the shot of adrenaline in his blood, the boy stood quiet for a while before claiming his wolverine and beginning to walk back home; but after a couple of steps something strange happened within him. Without thinking, Durc stopped, turned around, and howled to the top of his lungs. His totem was the Gray Wolf! He was the Grey Wolf! And this was his territory! Filling his lungs, he howled again like the wolf that scared his dreams when he was little; then, satisfied, the mixed boy turned around and followed the small river upstream towards home.

Splash!

- Ma-da-da-de-nee!!

Troc! Splash!

- To-to-ta-te-no-hah!!!

Splash!... Splash!

The sound of small stones, hard flung into the river called Durc's attention as he neared the cave; but were the nonsense syllables, pronounced in anger, which made him stop in his tracks.

- Mama? Mama!

Of course it was not Mama; she was traveling far away, to mate and not to have to see him again; of course it had to be that girl, Ena. Durc was tempted to make a small detour to avoid seeing her, but his curiosity was stronger. No one else in the clan could make those sounds, not even Ura; only he could, and Mama, and Ena.

The girl hadn't seen him, she was too distracted, and it was evident that she was alone; she wouldn't be making those sounds otherwise. Durc decided to teach her a lesson on carelessness. Stalking her like a predator would, Durc followed the sound to a big rock, high over the mountain creek which made a sharp turn to flow around it. There she was, her collecting basket laid in the ground behind her, throwing stones at the water, and crying.

Durc could not scare her; her tears were too much for him. No one, but no one, in the clan shed tears out of pain; not even Durc. Only Mama cried, and Ena. Durc decided she was not escaping him this time; approaching her from behind the rock, blocking her escape way, Durc threw a small pebble over her and into the river.

Splash!

- To-to-ta-te-no-hah...

But Ena's reaction surprised Durc. Turning swiftly around, the girl threw a medium sized stone, with great force, at Durc's forehead; right between his eyes. The boy fell to the ground, oozing blood from the wound and into his eyes, unconscious.

- Durc! Durc! - Ena was frantic, - Oh Great Cave Bear, I have killed him! Durc!

Ena cleaned the wound with water from her waterbag, listened to the boy's heartbeat and checked his breathing. Satisfied that she hadn't killed him, but afraid of the consequences of her attack, Ena centered all her efforts in waking him up.

- Durc! Come on Durc, wake up! Please wise wolverine, help me, make him wake up!

Durc moved slowly his hand towards his forehead.

- Oh! My head! What happened? - and seeing the girl's green tearful eyes inches from his, he remembered what had happened - Why did you do that?

- I... this girl was afraid. - Ena didn't know what to do. He was just a boy, but he was the future leader and she was at fault, she was deep in trouble; so she decided to address him like if he were a man, to appease him - This girl heard noises and though a dangerous predator was stalking her. I didn't mean to hurt the future leader. I am so embarrassed!

- You are right to be afraid! - Durc was trying to save face, embarrassed for having let a girl surprise him - You are not supposed to be out of the cave alone! I found a wolf not far from here; it could have been the wolf instead of me!

Durc thought, but did not say, that it would have been an unconscious wolf with a head wound. Ena noticed that the boy was not so sure of himself, and tried to level things out.

- You are not supposed to be out of the cave alone either. Did you really find a wolf?

- I was hunting, - said Durc putting his hand on his wound to make Ena feel bad about it, - the wolf attacked me, but I made him run away. I would have killed him if he hadn't run so fast.

- You are badly wounded, I really didn't mean... Does it hurt too much?

- No, - said Durc feeling a little dizzy, - it doesn't hurt at all. I can hardly notice it. - Durc sat on the rock and Ena sat beside him - Your eyes are watering. What is wrong with your eyes?

- I have weak eyes, - said Ena looking down and drying her tears, she knew her watering eyes upset the people of the clan, - they are the wrong color and weak, I will wash them with medicine to make them better.

- Mama had weak eyes, my real mother, Ayla. Her eyes were like this, - said Durc pointing to the blue sky, - the color of the sky, and they watered too, like yours, but only when she was very, very sad. Why are you sad?

- Your mother had blue eyes? - said Ena surprised - I thought Uba was your mother.

- Uba is Iza's real daughter, - explained Durc, - Iza found my mother when she was very young, younger than Dorv now. She was like you; she was a woman of the Others. She was cursed with death and she went away; she didn't die but she went away, and left me here. Why are you sad?

- I am not really sad, - said Ena, Durc was not a man yet, but he was male and he had asked, twice, - It is more like angry, frustrated, and yes, a little sad.

- Why?

- I helped Uba with Ika's baby yesterday; - said Ena, - I had never been allowed to help in a delivery before, and it is the most wonderful thing there is. And the baby, it is the most beautiful creature I've ever seen.

- And that makes you angry? Sad? I don't understand.

- It is just that I will never have a baby of my own, - said Ena, and new tears flooded her eyes again.

- Why not? All women have babies.

- My totem is too strong, - said Ena, unable to hold her tears, - it will never be defeated. I might never even become a woman.

- You will become a woman, - said Durc, smiling, - and you will have babies. Mama had me, strong totem and all. What is that strong totem of yours?

- It is the wolverine, - said Ena, - I told you, it is too strong.

- Mama's was the Cave Lion, - said Durc, - so don't worry. You will have your own baby.

- The Cave...! Great Ursus! How did she ever become pregnant! No wonder you are deform... - Ena covered his face with both hands. She really did it this time!

But Durc was too used to his "deformity" to care.

- Mama always said I wasn't deformed. - said Durc - She said I was mixed, half Clan and half Others.

- That means my babies will look like you? - Ena was already trying to picture a baby of her own

- Go figure. Here! So much for your strong totem, - said Durc throwing the death wolverine at Ena's feet, - make yourself a hood.

And feeling very masculine, Durc stood up and began walking back to the cave. Ena took her collecting basket in one hand, the dead weasel in the other, and followed closely behind the boy.

Durc's encounter with the wolverine, and with Ena, did not go unnoticed; although the reactions were very different. Seeing the young boy come into the cave proudly carrying only his weapons, and followed by the tall girl carrying his kill, made Uba beam with pride.

- Look! - she said to Ebra who was visiting her for medical attention, - He is such a fine little man; he looks just like a hunter!

- And Ena, - said Ebra, - she is learning to be a good clan woman. Do you see how well behaved she is? As if she was born to the Clan. She wasn't like that when she came, but she has improved a lot since.

Uba wasn't so happy with Ebra's comment, her body language clearly implied that Ena was far better behaved than Ayla had been, and that somehow it was her merit, given that the girl lived at her hearth. Did Ebra still resent Ayla's higher status? thought Uba. Then she noticed the wound in Durc's forehead.

- Durc! - Uba's voice betrayed her anxiety - My son, you are hurt! What happened to your head? Come here, let me look at you!

- I was hit by a small rock by the river, - said Durc, - I didn't see it coming. It was lucky that Ena was nearby, she healed me. It hardly hurts anymore, I am alright.

- You are not alright! - said Uba, - It is swollen and will take several days to heal. And it will leave a nasty scar in your face. Where did that rock come from?

- I've told you, mother, I didn't see it coming!

- Ena! Come here! Tell me, how did you treat this injury? Here, I will show you how it is done, bring me my medicine bag...

Broud was very angry. Seeing the boy's success only reminded him of his own failure. And that ugly useless girl of the Others, acting as if she was Clan. This would never have happened had he been the leader. But this was temporary, he said to himself, he must forget everything concerning the cave and concentrate in recovering his hunting abilities. Then things would change, and how would things change!

Vorn had been with Brun and Grod at Mog-ur's hearth. His first reaction had been surprise, and then fear followed by anger. How did that girl get that wolverine? But soon he noticed Durc's stance and understood. The girl was obviously carrying the boy's prey. It seemed strange to him though, that Ena kept the wolverine instead of giving it to Uba; but he relaxed again when he saw Ena telling Ebra that Durc had given the animal to her. Ebra would see to it that something of equal value was given to Uba in return.

- Relax, Vorn, - said Brun, - The girl is acting like a good clan woman, she is not doing anything improper.

Vorn noticed, though, the dried blood in Durc's forehead even before Uba did. What had happened with the boy? And, come to think on it, what had he been doing alone outside for so long? Durc would better have a very good explanation ready by the time he came back to the hearth.

Oda's reaction was outright fury, and directed to Ura.

- Look that ugly girl! - said Oda to Ura, - Why is she receiving such a nice pelt from Durc and you are receiving nothing? You are the one who is going to be his mate! You are the one who should be receiving presents from him! Is she trying to steal your mate? I have told you to be always after Durc! Who are you going to mate if he refuses you? What man is going to want such a deformed woman?

- But, mother... - began to say Ura.

- But nothing! Of course that ugly girl wants Durc! No one is going to want her either; but she looks just like Durc's mother, he might want her instead of you if you don't do something about it!

- But he is a boy! - reacted Ura - A child! And I am a woman! I cannot play with him anymore, he must obey me; and he won't like me if I'm always ordering him around! Besides, our mating is already arranged! Both leaders agreed!

- None of them is leader now, my daughter. - said Oda - Not even Broud, who also agreed, is leader now. If you don't act wisely you might end up as second or third woman at some hunter's hearth instead of being the first mate of the leader. Think about it.

And Ura thought about it, a lot. But someone else thought about it too. Brac, who as an acolyte had also been that day at Goov's hearth, had seen the whole argument between Oda and her daughter. And he couldn't help but to think that Oda could be right in one thing. If Durc didn't want Ura, she would have a hard time finding a man to mate.

Maybe he could help a little, he could ask Ena to gather magic plants for him. Most plants used by Mog-ur, were used by Uba too, and the tall girl of the Others was being trained by the medicine woman anyway. It might also be interesting to observe the differences in the ways the same plants were prepared, although, of course, he would never ask directly. However, if he kept Ena busy he would be helping the clan to prevent a future problem. That problem being Ura.

Spring came and with it the heavy rains and the floods came too. But the water meant not only destruction, more than anything else it meant life. Plant life flourished everywhere; new green buds grew out of every old tree, small bushes busted off the ground from old dormant roots, and the mountain forest turned again warm and but also dark and mysterious. Mountain animals reappeared, mice, voles, squirrels and rabbits, and their predators too; owls, hawks, foxes and ermines amongst others including the smaller cats. Soon wild boars, red deer and mountain goats would come followed by their own, bigger, predators; the original owners of the territory, the wolves. Soon after the first spring moon, the familiar sweet eerie sound of the wolfsong filled the nights.

The return of the wolves marked the beginning of the hunting season. The high grasses of the prairies to the north of the cave brought back the big herds, and the clan hunters began to go out for extended two or three days hunting trips, staying at the cave three or four days before going out again. Later in the season, when the herds came closer to their cave, they would be able to hunt and come back home the same day. The fresh meat was a welcome treat for the clan, tired of the hard dried meat stored since the last summer or even since the summer before last. But that was not all; the fresh vegetables, gathered by the women, were not only well liked, they also provided the much-needed vitamins and minerals after the long cold season.

Most women accompanied their mates to the hunting trips, but Oda and Ura were usually selected to go although Goov never went hunting again. Both women were capable and very hard working, and Vorn was happy at having asked for Oda along with Ura; if little Uma was anything like her mother and sister, she would be an asset to any clan. Ovra stayed always at the cave and took care of Uma whenever Oda was gone. Both women got along well; Ovra's position as first mate was never challenged by the younger woman, and Oda was already used to be second or even third woman. Una, fulfilled Ovra's dreams of motherhood, and although Goov was always very kind with Oda and her daughters, his love and care for Ovra and her daughter was all too evident.

Grod, being second-in-command, participated in every hunting trip; and his mate, Uka, went always with him. But Brun stayed half of the times, and Ebra never went anymore. All the young hunters took always their mates with them, but Brac, who was unmated. The young acolyte was usually placed in the second half of the string of runners, so that the animal they were hunting was already tired, and he did well. Vorn relied almost always in Droog's experience for the dangerous, critical, task of cutting the selected animal from the rest of the herd, and make it run towards the second runner. Crug, on the other hand, was the one usually selected for the last turn, and the one with the responsibility of ensuring the kill. The youngest, fastest, hunters were placed immediately after Droog, and Vorn reserved for himself the last place before Crug. This arrangement seemed to work and, even this early in the season, the hunting was good.

Who did go, always, despite having a newborn son, was Ika. She was an experienced mother of four, and a hard working woman; and Crug wanted her new son to "be there" even at this young age. Crug was completely taken by baby Burt, and more so since the Mog-ur announced that his totem was the Lynx. The lynx was not the biggest of the cats, but any cat was a great hunting totem. Crug couldn't be happiest, and his happiness reflected on his hunting; he was now, without question, the best hunter of the clan.

As the spring neared its end to give way to the summer, the first clan was, once again, winning the hard struggle for survival in their harsh environment.

The "Clan wolf pack" was off once again; Borg, Groob, Brac, Grev and Durc were after the real wolf pack just as they had been last summer. But there were no puppies at the nursery; either the wolves had changed their nursery or there were no puppies in the pack.

- I think it is too soon in the season, - said Brac, - Zoug said that the female wolf gave birth alone in a den and kept her puppies hidden until it was time to present them to the pack.

- Like the period of isolation before the naming day? - asked Grev.

- Something like that - said Brac.

- How long? - asked Durc.

- Zoug did not say. Let's look into our memories. - said Brac, and all the young men sat and searched as far back in her memories as they could.

- I'd say by the next full moon, - said Borg, after a long while, meaning another week.

- I think so too, - said Brac, and all the others nodded affirmatively.

- Could we try to find the den? - said Durc

- No, - said Borg, - the wolves would attack us if we came anywhere near that den.

- Let's go uphill, - suggested Grev, - we might find the wolves from a high lookout.

Durc grunted affirmatively and started climbing followed by all his friends. After reaching a big protruding rock, high in the hillside, the young men looked around for the wolf pack. Groob was the first to get sight of them.

- There! - cried out the young man, pointing northwest, - They are after something!

- It is the white wolf! - said Durc - They are going after my white wolf!

The wolf pack had cornered the strange wolf in a small depression of terrain, near the edge of the woods. But the white was not relinquishing ground; singling out the alpha male, he growled his challenge. The big gray wolf was fast to answer; he charged, bared teeth, against his opponent trying for the neck while the other wolves made a growling circle around the fighters. The big gray wolf and the young white wolf rolled on the ground severely injuring each other. But the fight ended as abruptly as it had begun when the white suddenly turned and ran at full speed into the woods receiving a couple of bad bites at breaking through the circle of wolves. The whole pack followed him and it was evident that if they got to catch the intruder, they would kill him. After a few minutes the white wolf reappeared out of the woods and ran north into the prairie, the wolf pack had followed him only a couple hundred paces when a short bark from the leader stopped them. The big gray wolf led his pack westwards following the river; he had taught the intruder a lesson, he'd better not come back.

The five friends stood in awed silence after the wolves were out of sight

- The lead female was not there, - said Durc, bringing them all out of trance, - she must be with her puppies in the den.

- Forget the puppies! - said Grev - Did you see that? That was awesome! Did you see all that blood on the white one? Awesome!

- That white wolf is not ever coming back! - said Groob.

- Wrong, - said Durc, looking far into the prairie the way the white one had gone, - he is coming back. You will see.

Brac looked, surprised, at the boy. Durc had not addressed anyone in particular, and it looked to him as if the Spirit Wolf had talked through the boy. Wasn't the Gray Wolf Durc's totem? Brac shivered.

- Come on, everybody; - said the young acolyte - let's go back to the cave.

The big trout was resting in the shallow water in a secluded spot near a bend in the small river, barely moving its tail, only enough not to drift down river. With the sun on its face, it did not see the shadow coming slowly from behind. With infinite patience the hands slid under the fat fish, softly feeling its underside with the fingertips trying to find the right position. In a sudden violent motion, the hands closed, grabbed the fish and sent it flying out of the river. The trout tried to get back to the water, but was immediately clubbed still.

- There you are! - exclaimed Ura enthusiastically, - You are going to make my dinner, fat mommy; you are going to taste great!

- How can you do it? - asked Ena astounded looking at the big trout, the last of five Ura had fished that afternoon - I cannot even come close without scaring them away!

- My mother taught me, - said Ura, - all the women on my clan could do it; I'll teach you, it is not hard.

- There was no river near my cave, - said Ena, - and I don't think they would have taught me anyway. They thought I was too dumb to learn.

The girl and the young women had spent the afternoon together by the river right in front of the cave. Their friendship, and the well they felt being together, was stronger than Oda's suspicion. But still Ura avoided talking with her friend about Durc. Ena had been spending more time with Brac, whenever he was not hunting, and Ura was usually the one who served the young acolyte whenever they were out in a hunt. So Brac was just another subject the young girl friends avoided.

- Look! Salmon! - exclaimed Ura pointing to the river, - The spawning season is here! Oh! I love salmon roe! We must tell Grod when we get back to the cave; he will want to organize the fishing. And we will have to be more careful now; brown bears will come after the salmon.

- Maybe we should go back to the cave now, - said Ena, frightened, - I don't like bears.

- Don't worry; bears won't come yet, not so close to the cave anyway. - said Ura - Let's make a fire and cook one of these just for the two of us.

Working together the two friends soon had a fire going, and, while Ena tended to the fire, Ura prepared the biggest of her fish taking out the entrails and cleaning it before inserting a wooden stick lengthwise to hold it over the fire. Once the fish was cooking, Ura took from her travelling bag a very short spear, about half the length of a forearm, with a bone point attached; and to Ena's stunned surprise, stabbed the fish, gently, testing to see if it was done.

- Where did you get that! - exclaimed Ena astonished - Women cannot touch weapons! Vorn will have you cursed if he finds out!

- This is not a weapon, - answered Ura, - this is a cooking utensil.

- This is a spear point just like the one Durc has, - insisted Ena.

- This is a cooking tool, - said Ura, stubbornly, - it is too short to hunt with it anyway.

- You are looking for trouble, - said Ena, - why did you think on this in the first place?

- It is just this stupid rule. Why can't a woman hunt? Why can't a woman make weapons? It is not difficult; I know I could learn to hunt better than any man. Did you see the points Durc makes? Mine is far better made, and the notches I carved in the bone and in the wood make a better match than his. I am using far less glue and sinew and still my point will never detach from the wood; and it is prettier too I even notched out the sign of my totem in the bone, look, do you see it?

- Yes, it is very beautiful, but still it is wrong. Where did you learn to make signs? And why would you want to make a hunting weapon? Women don't hunt. I could learn to hunt, it does not seem difficult, but I don't want to. Why would I? Why would you? Women don't hunt!

- Women of the Others hunt, - said Ura, - I saw Rec talking with Mog-ur, he said all women of the Others hunt. I wish I was raised by the Others. You are a girl of the Others, if you hadn't been raised by the Clan, you would have learned to hunt.

- I am not Others, I am Clan! - said Ena, - I was named and accepted, I had my totem revealed, I am Clan! And Clan women don't hunt!

- But wouldn't you like to hunt? Not to need a man to hunt for you? - said Ura taking the fish off the fire, picking at it with her hands and offering it to her friend - This is sooo good! Do you really think men are better than women? Do you really like always to have to put up with them?

- I don't care about men, I just don't like killing, - said Ena, - I prefer healing. And I know I am better than any man, I just don't have to hunt to prove it.

Borg had just returned from a long, four days, hunting trip. He, and all the other hunters were not going out again for some time, they had gotten two animals this time, one aurochs and one bison, in two consecutive hunting days. Having nothing better to do than to rest at his hearth, the young hunter had agreed to go out with the two older boys of the clan to try hunting with the flying spears.

Since this was a test run of a new weapon of dubious advantages, Vorn was asked for permission. He agreed only on condition that only one of the three youngsters would try the new weapon at a time while the other two stood guard with conventional spears as a protection against failures. A wounded animal, even a deer, might prove dangerous to an unarmed hunter, and the main objection to the new weapon was just that; once the hunter threw the spear, he was defenseless.

Groob and Brac were occupied with Droog and Goov respectively, and despite how much they wanted to be in the first live test of the new weapon, they were unable to escape from their obligations at the cave; so only Borg and the two boys went out hunting. Their first decision was to hunt in the mountain forest, uphill from the cave. It was far less dangerous than the big herds of the prairie, and it allowed the boys to give it a try; something they could not do in the prairies before their manhood hunt.

Practicing with the new weapon had slowed a lot for the three young hunters, and only the boys had kept at it, still, Borg Groob and Brac, had developed a style that allowed them to throw the spear at a useful distance with reasonable accuracy. They could not make Rec's high overhand throws, but, holding the weapon to the side, they threw it with a movement similar to the one they used with the sling. Grev, through extensive practice, had acquired a level of skill with the technique developed by his three adult friends, which, despite his being younger, made him the best with the new weapon. But only Durc, with his deformed free-swinging arm, could imitate Rec's (Ranec's) style. However, what the boy had in leverage he lacked in strength, and the length of his casts surpassed for very little, if at all, that of his friend's.

After a couple hours of wandering around, Borg heard the familiar noises made by a small band of wild boars. From the noises heard, it must be a couple of females with their young and, probably, a few other young females as well.

- Boars! - signaled Grev in silence.

Mine! - gestured back Borg, pointing to the scar that announced the boar as his personal totem.

The precedence claimed by the young hunter was acknowledged by the two boys; Borg wanted to test the new weapon on the animal that was the embodiment of his totem. Edging slowly forward, checking for the wind and looking for noisy dead branches, the three young men approached the boars. Grev was holding a heavy clan spear and Durc his heaviest bola, while Borg held in readiness one of the new bone-pointed and feathered light spears.

The three young men froze at the sight of their prey. Without previous experience to rely on, the young hunter misjudged the proper distance to throw; although the young female he singled out as prey was well within his range, she had enough time to see the movement and bolt away while the spear was still on the air. Borg's aim would have been true, had the boar stayed quiet; but as it was, the spear landed where the wild pig had been an instant earlier and stood quivering, firmly embedded in the ground. The small herd disappeared in a heartbeat, and the disappointed young men looked at each other, empty handed.

- Well, - said Durc, - this was just the first try. Nobody said it was going to be easy. It took any of us several misses before our first kill with the sling; this doesn't have to be easier. Let's follow them, they didn't actually see us and have probably not gone too far.

- Probably not, - agreed Borg.

After another hour of careful tracking, the three youngsters caught up with the wild boars. This time, Durc claimed his turn at the new weapon. Borg agreed, with regret, and Grev, enthusiastically. Fate was, however, against them. Durc approached, even closer than Borg the first time, and aimed for one of the fat baby pigs. But his aim was not true; his spear went half an inch high over the small animal and hit a tree, bounced back and hit the side of the matriarch of the herd with its butt. This time the herd ran away and disappeared for good.

- Damm! - complained Grev - You had it! They didn't even see your spear coming!

This was the second miss of the hunt, but Grev refused to call it a day.

- It is my turn, - he said, - but, you know Durc? If you had attached another point to the butt of your spear, you might have wounded that big one!

Durc usually enjoyed the banter from his milk brother, but not this time. The sense of failure overwhelmed him. He had that pig! How could he aim so badly! But real hunting was nothing like practicing, and the boy had a lot to learn yet, and a lot to fail, before he could call himself a hunter. He would have to learn to overcome failure if he was to survive at all.

The three friends stalked the area for a couple more hours, but it was useless; they could not find anything to hunt. Looking at the sky, Borg decided that it was time to return if they were to reach the cave in daylight. Not making any effort to hide their presence, the dispirited trio began the long walk home at a regular pace. Suddenly, a small animal scared by the noisy humans, bolted away in front of them. Reacting instantly, Grev jumped ahead and ran in pursuit; after a few paces, he launched his spear on the run. Maybe it was luck, maybe it was just that he really was the best, but, whatever else it was, the end result was fat porcupine stabbed through. The first Clan kill with a flying spear.

Back at the cave, the boys showed proudly their catch, and later, at the night fire, all the events of the day were retold to the gathered clan. Grev was basking in the praise from his clan, and Broud could not refrain commenting that it had been the son of his hearth the only one to kill something. But Borg and Durc's failure with the boars confirmed the elder's opinion that this was a marginal weapon; a curiosity, nothing to be taken seriously.

Brac looked at the entrance of the cave from the air; hovering around, unsure of himself. This was his first time alone, but it was also a great achievement in another sense, this was his first time without any help from the magic drinks. He had needed less and less quantities of the magic preparation, as he gained skill and concentration, but Goov could not go with him without it. This time, he was alone. Durc, as he usually did, was playing the drum to help him not to get lost, and Goov was anxiously observing his gifted pupil go into trance.

The hunters had not gone hunting for quite a few days now, most of them were fishing salmon under Grod's direction, and the rest were standing guard against their competitors for the fish, the brown bears. Once again the hunters, and notoriously Broud, managed to kill a few bears, which were very appreciated for their furs, their meat and their fat, although at this time of the year they did not have as much fat as at the beginning of winter.

Brac looked at the hunters fishing with the circular throwing nets, and then turned uphill to explore the mountain forest. He found some red deer, wandering, some wild goats and a small herd of wild boars, one third of them newborns. Brac concentrated on the drum, he was still not too confident, and then decided to look around for the wolves. Following the edge of the mountain forest, westwards along the course of the river, Brac scanned the area searching for the pack. Searching, that was a good word to describe this new gift; searching, he would suggest it to Goov. After a short while, Brac began to feel uncomfortably far away from the cave, and, concentrating in the steady beat of the drum, turned around without having found the wolf pack. In his way back home, he decided to take a look at the wolves' nursery, but he found it still empty.

Then, just when he was about to go back to the cave and finish the experiment, a glimpse of something white called his attention. From the edge of the clearing, that was the wolves' nursery, the white wolf was coming in. Nosing the air to see if there were other wolves nearby, the white one proceeded to examine the clearing thoroughly; he smelled every inch of the clearing and every tree around it, and then proceeded to mark it with his urine. After the white wolf returned to the forest; Brac concentrated once again in the sound of the drum and returned to the cave.

- I told you, - said Durc, as soon as Brac opened his eyes, - he is back.

- What did you just said? - asked Brac.

- What do you mean? Who is back? - asked Goov.

- The wolf, - said Durc, - the white wolf. You did see him, didn't you?

- But how do you know? - Brac was astounded.

- Did you see it too? - Goov was even more so.

- No, I didn't, - said Durc, looking at Goov and then at Brac, - but you did, didn't you?

- But how do you know? - insisted Brac.

- I was looking at you, - explained Durc, - you said "white", and you looked very agitated, while in trance, just before the end. It was not a clear sign, but I was sure; you did see him, didn't you?

- I did, - said Brac, - did I really say "white"? Do I speak while I am traveling the spirit world?

- Sometimes you move, - said Goov, - and sometimes make strange gestures with your face. Nothing unusual about it, happens all the time during travels to the spirit world; but that is nothing like actually speaking, I didn't see you say anything, and I was observing you.

- Maybe I was wrong, - said Durc, - but I really thought I saw you say "white".

Goov stood in silence; he was sure Brac hadn't said anything. Had the boy, Durc, some kind of communication with Brac at spirit world level? Or was he, Goov, losing his observation skills? He walked slowly out of the inner cave, and into his hearth. Ovra had some broth ready for him, as she always did after his spiritual sessions. Oda and her daughters hadn't returned yet; they were gone, foraging for greens, fruits and edible roots, but it was late and they were coming back soon. Goov finished his broth and went to his sleeping furs to rest and meditate, but meditation proved impossible; Una, already in her weaning year, had not lost the custom of crawling into his bed, cuddling beside him and playing with his beard. She was at an age when she should begin to imitate adult women behavior, but he enjoyed her too much to discourage her childish behavior. From his sleeping furs, and over the head of the daughter of his hearth, he saw his acolyte leave the inner cave, involved in deep conversation with Durc. Oda and her two girls were coming down the entrance passage heavily loaded, and Vorn was talking to Crug Borg and Groob, obviously arranging the night shifts. Goov disentangled himself from the already sleeping daughter of his hearth and signaled Ovra to take her; he felt tired, meditations would have to wait until tomorrow.

The big, rounded, thin, flat stone had been carried up by Durc and Ura, from the river where she had found it. The young woman, prompted by her mother, had asked the help of the "tall and strong young man"; and Durc, always curious about anything new, complied immediately. The roughly elliptical flat stone, not more than three or four fingers thick, was put over three medium sized rocks that held it about one closed hand above the ground. Under the stone platform, about one elbow wide and one and half again that size long, Ura had dug a shallow pit, not more than a hand deep, and had filled it with fire making material.

- Can you make fire with this? - asked Ura showing the Boy a piece of flint and a firestone.

- Where did you get that? - asked Durc.

- I found it, - said Ura, - there is a place, upstream, a small ravine at a dry riverbed. I found several and I took some. Is this the same kind of stone? I didn't get to see yours very well.

- Let's see, - said Durc.

He was a little unhappy about not having the only firestone anymore, but he was more interested in Ura's discovery. Now he would find out if Ranec was right and if there was nothing magic in the firestone he had.

Striking the iron pyrite with the flint, with a skill born out of practice, Durc obtained a big, hot, long lasting spark. Soon he had the fire going, and Ura was over excited about the whole thing.

- I want to learn to do it! - she said - Can you teach me?

- I don't know, - said Durc, - maybe women are not supposed to learn this magic.

- Rec said it was not magic, - countered Ura, - and mog-ur said that it was a technique women could learn.

- When did he say that?

- He said that to Vorn last winter at a meeting with Brun and Grod. I didn't want to see what they were saying, but I had to look at them in case they asked for water or something.

- You could get yourself in trouble for watching men's conversations, - said Durc, more worried than disapproving, - women are not supposed to do that.

- Women are not supposed to do this, women are not supposed to do that. What nonsense! You are not supposed to know how to cook, and I know you know.

Ura tested the temperature of the flat stone and put a chunk of bison fat on it; the fat began to melt and to spread over it.

- That is not the same, but, what are you doing? Why are you pouring fat on the stone like this?

- Why? Are you trying to learn to cook?

- You cannot cook a stone; I just want to understand what you are doing.

- I am going to cook this, - said Ura, showing Durc the contents of her basket; beautifully cut uniform strips of fresh bison meat, ready to hang for drying, - the way we did in my first cave. It is fresh meat from yesterday's hunt, I haven't seen meat prepared this way in this clan, you will like it.

Ura put the meat on the fat covered hot stone, and soon the delicious smell of fried meat made Durc forget the discussion, but not for too long. Ura took her bone pointed "cooking implement" and used it to turn the pieces of frying meat over.

- That is a spear point! - said Durc, - You really are in trouble now!

- This is not a spear point, this is a cooking tool. - said Ura, - It only resembles a spear point; but it is not used to hunt, it used to cook, and it is more beautiful. Look!

- It is very well made, - said Durc, examining the tool, - and you are right; it is beautiful. What is this?

- This is the sign of my totem, the hamster.

- It is incredible, - said Durc, admiring the workmanship, - I wish you could put my totem sign on my spears. Too bad you can't touch them. Can you teach me to do this? I would teach you to use the firestone in return.

The meat was done very quickly; it was dry and crispy on the outside but juicy and very tasty inside. Soon Ura had several pieces ready and put them in her basket to keep them from cooling. Then she cut one of the last pieces, by half, with a hand knife, picked it up from the hot stone using her bone point, and offered it to Durc.

- It's a deal, - she said, - here, taste it!

- It is good!

- It would be better with some salt on it, - said Ura, - but we are short on salt. Maybe Vorn will organize an expedition to get salt before the winter comes. So you will teach me how to make fire with the stones.

- And you will teach me how to make totem signs on the bone points, - insisted Durc.

- I will. - said Ura, - Too bad I cannot touch your weapons, I would be happy to put your totem mark on all of them. I don't understand why women are not allowed to touch weapons, or to hunt; you are a man, can you explain it to me?

- I don't know, - said Durc, - it is against the traditions, it is bad luck.

- Rec said women of the Others hunt, - said Ura, risking her opinion - I wish I was a woman of the Others. I don't think they have bad luck because of that.

- My mother hunted, - said Durc, somberly, - and it gave me bad luck. She was cursed, and she left leaving me here. She left me here.

- This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, - exclaimed Ura, - What is it made of? Looks like mammoth tusk, but I have never seen Ivory made into this. What is it for?

- Ranec said he made it out of ivory, - said Durc, - for my mother. It was supposed to bring luck to their mating; it doesn't seem to have worked, though. She went away with another man.

- How could she do that? She was promised to Ra... Re... What is his real name?

- Ranec, but you call him Rec. It seems that no one else can make Others' sounds but me, and maybe Ena, I am not sure.

- Well, she was promised to Rec; it is like me being promised to you, isn't it? Then how could she go away with another man? Why would the leader allow it? Rec seemed to be a man of high status, and the other man Don... Dhzon... whatever, he was from another clan, he had no status. I don't understand. It must have been humiliating to Rec, no wonder why he left.

- It seems that the Others have different customs, - said Durc, - women hunt, women lead, and they also choose their mates. That is what Ranec said. He said this holds a piece of my mother's spirit, and that she gave it back for him to remember her.

- And he doesn't want to remember her anymore.

- I don't know, - said Durc, - maybe it is so; but he said that I had a stronger claim on it than him, and that she would want me to have it.

- It is beautiful, is it alright if I try to make something like it? I think I've seen some pieces of mammoth tusk in the cave.

- I don't know, this has no practical use, it only has a spiritual meaning; I don't think women should...

- Women should, women shouldn't! - interrupted Ura - There is nothing in the traditions about things like this. So it cannot be forbidden. Besides I wouldn't put anything spiritual on it, I only want to make something pretty.

Durc stayed silent for a while. They were at an out-of-the-way spot near the cave, where Ura had been practicing with the firestone while he practiced with a modified hand knife trying to carve his totem sign in a piece of bone. They were not exactly hiding, but didn't want anybody thinking that they were losing time instead of doing something useful.

- Do you want to see something really beautiful?

Ura nodded affirmatively.

- Wait here.

Durc went back to the cave and returned immediately with a long narrow bundle wrapped in deer hide. Unwrapping the package, he showed its content to Ura.

- Look at this.

- Oh! It is awesome! - said Ura, - What is it?

- Don't touch it! It is a weapon! Ranec said it is a spear thrower, - said Durc, - it is supposed to make the flying spear go twice as far.

- But it looks like a bird of prey! - said Ura, longing to touch the wonderful implement - Like a hawk or an eagle!

Durc turned the spear thrower for Ura to look. The flat platform, made of antler, was meticulously carved. The handle was shaped as the neck and head of an eagle, ending in a hooked beak; the rest of the weapon was filled with carefully carved and very detailed feathers, arranged in a way that suggested the wings of the bird. The end effect was stunning.

- It must have taken seasons, many seasons, to do this, - said Ura - There must be a powerful magic in this weapon, maybe it makes the spears fly as fast an accurate as an eagle! Have you tried it?

- No, not yet.

- Why not?

- It is a new weapon, - said Durc, - even for the Others. Only the Others of Ranec's clan know of it. It was a... an... eh... - there was no Clan word for invention, the whole concept was alien to their nature - a new idea of Jondar, the man who took my mother away. He was the first ever to use it, and I don't think it will be good luck. It wasn't good luck for Ranec.

- Because he didn't get to mate your mother? - asked Ura impressed, -Do you think a woman can be so important to a man?

- He wanted to live all his life with her, and she left him. - said Durc - I wanted to live with her and she left me too. Ranec says that is the reason why he left his clan.

- Maybe you will leave this clan one day too, - said Ura, - like the Durc of the legend. It's always been my favorite legend.

- It was my mother's favorite too, maybe that is why she left, maybe that is why she always leaves.

Durc re-wrapped the spear thrower and stood up. It had made him too sad to talk about his mother.

- I am going back to the cave; we can practice more some other day.

Ura's discovery of the firestones, and her demonstrated skill at using them, enhanced her standing in the eyes of Vorn. The future mate of the probable future leader was proving to be worthy of his status; and she was a model clan woman too, obedient, skilled and very hardworking. Vorn was very satisfied; the four women he had acquired at the clan gathering were proving to be assets to the clan. He was particularly happy with the girl's success in using the firestone; it was not an easy technique to learn. So far, only Grod, Droog, Groob, Grev, Durc and the two girls, Ura and Ena, had mastered the skill. Not even Goov, who was The Mog-ur, or Brac, his acolyte, could obtain consistent results. But the technique was so useful that they never took a live coal to a hunting trip anymore; Grod, the second-in-command, carried a stone fire making kit instead. Vorn wondered if some day all hunters would learn to make fire that way, and if the old stick-and-platform technique would be forgotten.

- I think that is what will happen, - had commented Brun, - But I still wonder why some of us cannot learn to do it and some can.

- It is Droog, the tool maker, and you, Grod, the spear maker, the ones who learned faster, - said Goov, - and your apprentices, Groob and Grev. Maybe it just takes a certain degree of manual skill and precision.

- That makes sense, - said Vorn, - but what about Durc, and the two girls. No other woman has been able to learn; not even Uba, who is very skilled with her hands.

- Ena is Others, - said Goov, - even if she is Clan now. Durc and Ura are probably of mixed spirits, part Clan and part Others. Others have a different way of learning, they don't have the memories; they must be good at learning new things.

- Mixed spirits... That is nonsense! - said Grod.

- Maybe you think they are deformed, - said Goov, - and maybe you are right. But I am not so sure, and I am The Mog-ur.

A tense silence fell over the four men. Goov was not the young inexperienced acolyte anymore. He was The Mog-ur; first among those who interpreted the will of the spirits. And he had just reminded them of that.

The puppies were a noisy bunch, barking, growling, rolling on the ground in mock fights. There were nine puppies, four of them males, and two adult guardians. It was unusual to detach two hunters to care for the puppies, but the smell of the white wolf was all around the territory including the nursery. The big wolf leader thought about finding another nursery, but there were not many good sites around, and the best one was already taken by the humans. He was not ready to fight the humans away, but he was not ready to grant the strange wolf the same treatment either. One of the young wolves detached for the nursery took care of the puppies, as usual, while the other patrolled the area around it. That was imposing a great stress on the pack, not only were they losing one more hunter than usual, but they had to bring food for one more guardian. The big gray wolf was decided to end this situation, and employed a good part of his time in searching for the elusive stranger; but he was not successful and some of the youngest members of his pack were beginning to show their nervousness. The old leader was losing ground.

Brac, Grev and Durc had been watching the wolves for a couple hours when they decided it was time to go back.

- It is very strange, - said Durc, - Zoug never said anything about two guardians.

- And it is very dangerous too, - said Brac, - the second one keeps searching and nosing all around the nursery. He might end up finding us.

- Very dangerous to him, - said Grev, raising his flying spear, - he might end up becoming a wolf pelt.

- Why do you think the wolves would do this, Brac? Having two guardians instead of one. - asked Durc - This is not normal wolf behavior.

- It must be the white wolf, - said Brac, - we keep hearing him at nights. You were right, Durc, he is not going away.

- He must be trying to establish his own territory, - said Durc, - but it must be difficult for him to do it alone, without the help of a pack. Maybe he will fight again to take this pack away from the old leader.

- I don't think he would succeed. - said Brac - He cannot be well fed, being alone and all, and the old leader is bigger and stronger. Besides, even if he won, the leading female might not accept him; wolves don't like wrong color wolves.

- Yes, - said Durc, - it is harder if you are different, especially if you are a wolf. But I know he is not giving up, I could feel it when I saw him fighting, even if he ran away. What could he possibly be looking for? I don't know, but I will find out.

- Maybe he fights because he has no alternative, - said Grev, - it is either fighting or starving to death.

- You are right, - said Brac, - and that makes him all the more dangerous. If he is hungry enough, he might try to go after one of our babies. That must be why the wolf leader put additional protection to his babies. I must talk to Goov, and he will talk to Vorn; we must be more careful than usual with our babies.

Ura was worried to see her friend, Ena, at the medicine woman's hearth. It was not that she was there, she was training with Uba after all, but it was evident now that she was being treated for some injury, something between her legs. Had her friend finally became a woman? That was unlikely; she was as flat-chested and narrow-hipped as always, besides, Ena would have told her anyway. But Ura had to control her curiosity, she was just coming back from a successful hunting trip and there was lots of work to do. It was late already, and she would not finish until very late night; she would have to wait until the next day to talk to Ena.

- Ena! Wait! Where are you going?

- I am going to get some medicine plants for Ura. It is not far; the place is down river, just around the next bend. - said Ena

- But you cannot go without protection, Vorn would get very angry if he found out, there is a dangerous hungry lone wolf nearby. Brac said so.

- I don't need protection, - said Ena, - it is just around the next bend in the river, and I want to be alone.

- I am coming with you, - decided Ura, - or else I would have to tell Vorn.

Ena shrugged indifferently and began to walk towards the river followed by Ura. The two friends walked side by side in silence; Ura could see in her friend's face that she was upset, and in her walk that she still hurt. As soon as they were out of sight from the cave, the young woman began to talk trying to cheer up her girl friend.

- That was an amazing hunt, yesterday, - she said, - we found the deer just where Brac said they would be, and just the deer he said there would be. Even down to the injured pregnant female. It was incredible! Even Grod was excited, and you know how hard it is to get Grod excited. I tell you, he actually spoke more than two words!

Ena couldn't help a smile, her friend's mocking of "stone face" Grod did the trick.

- That is my girl! - said Ura, smiling herself; smiles were something the two of them shared in secret, something that was natural for Ena and that Ura had learned from her - I think it is time that you got chosen for a hunting trip, you are taller than any woman and just as strong; and you are trained in medicine, which is always useful. I just don't understand why Vorn never takes you; we would have so much fun together!

- That is for the men to decide, - said Ena, - Vorn must have his reasons.

- But it is so unfair! Why should the men be always the ones to decide?

- You must stop saying such things, Ura; - said Ena, worried, - you will get into big trouble one of this days. If a man hears you...

- Oh, but no one ever will. - said Ura - They never pay attention to us; women, and I only talk like this to you, my best and only friend.

- Men! - said Ena, - I wish they paid even less attention to us, especially to me.

- Why? Who's been bothering you, girl?

- Nobody!

- Nobody?

- It is just Brac; he is always after me to get magic plants for him. I almost don't have time to rest, or to play anymore, except when he is out hunting. He is a Pest!

- Is that why you are so upset? I thought you were sick, or hurt; I saw Uba treating you last night, and you don't look so fine just now.

- I did get hurt, but Uba said that it was nothing; that I was alright and that I should not worry. But I hurt. Oh, how I hate men!

- A man hurt you? How? Why? Who?

- No! Yes... I don't know! - Ena's face was full of tears, and she sat down on a dead log by the riverbank.

- Come on, baby, - said Ura, - tell me what happened. Who did hurt you?

- Durc.

- Durc? - Ura could not believe it. Durc!

- It was not his fault, - said Ena, - I don't think it was his fault anyway.

- Tell me, - Ura was worried, anything having to do with Durc and Ena worried her.

- We were playing mates, - said Ena, - with Grev and Uma too, but I think he actually tried to relieve his needs with me. It was very painful and I cried, loud; then suddenly there was a lot of blood. I got scared, we all got scared, and they took me to Uba. I am so ashamed! I don't think I want to be near a man, or a boy, anymore. - Ena turned to look at her friend's face, and took her by the shoulders. - You are a woman, Ura; you have been one for some time now. Has a man ever relieved his needs with you? Does it always hurt that bad? I still hurt; I am not bleeding anymore though.

- Well, it does hurt the first time, a little, and there is some blood too, - said Ura, - but after the first few times it doesn't hurt anymore. I kind of like it.

- A little? It hurts a lot! How can you like it! - exclaimed Ena - But, when did all that happen? I have never seen a man giving you the signal.

- It is only during the hunts, - said Ura, - it seems that the excitement of the hunt increases the men's needs.

- Maybe there is something wrong with me, - said Ena pensively, - if it is not supposed to hurt that much; and I shed lots of blood too, we all got very scared. I don't think Durc will want to talk to me anymore, much less play with me again. Not that I want him to, either.

- Maybe it is just that you are not a woman yet, - said Ura, - girls are not supposed to relieve men's needs. I don't know, but you should, you are the medicine girl here. All I know is that if Uba says not to worry, then you must not worry.

- Maybe you are right; I will ask Uba again later. But now tell me, girl, tell me! Who has relieved his needs with you? Who's been giving you the signal? - Ena was curious; her friend was considered almost as ugly as she was, and men were supposed to signal women they found attractive.

- Brac, so far only Brac.

All the hunters were gathered around the big fire outside the cave, Vorn had called the meeting after a long private talk with Mog-ur and everybody was curious about what the leader had to say. Even Broud was waiting for the meeting with anticipation.

- You all know about the great power that Brac, our mog-ur's acolyte, has acquired - said Vorn - It impressed all the mog-ur's at the last gathering, and we have already benefited from it in the last few hunts.

All the hunters nodded and grunted affirmatively and looked at the young apprentice with praise and respect. Broud stood proudly by the son of her mate so that everyone could see who was the man who had trained him as a boy.

- I am sure the son of my mate will be The Mog-ur one day, - he said.

- So do I, - said Vorn, - and since no one here has any doubts about the accuracy of his new power, I think no one will doubt what he has just found.

The hunters looked at each other, and then at Goov, trying to guess what could be so important.

- Goov says that Brac has found a big herd of mammoths coming south, near the point where the peninsula joins the mainland. They are in Others' territory now, but they will be in clan territory by the time we get there. - said Vorn eliciting excited comments from all the hunters, - It is too early, mammoths are not supposed to migrate south until the last part of the warm season, when the grass and the leaves are turning brown. Goov says that means the winter will come early and will, most probably, be a long and very cold one.

The gestured comments among the hunters were more worried now; a long, cold winter was not something they liked to think about. But no one doubted Brac's demonstrated skill at searching, nor Goov's esoteric knowledge about the future course of the weather.

- We must, of course, hunt those mammoths, - Vorn was finally saying what everybody wanted to hear, - and we must try to get, either the biggest possible one, or two of them, like we did for the cave ceremony. We need that meat and that fat if we are to survive the winter; so all the hunters and every able woman and girl will have to come in this hunt.

- The boys will come too, - continued Vorn, - they can help the women with the chores at the camp, and they also might learn a lot by watching the hunters. But someone must stay behind to protect the cave.

All the hunters instinctively avoided looking at their leader. They always did that when it was time to designate the ones not going.

- As much as I regret losing his hunting wisdom, Broud will have to stay this time. - Broud's face showed his raising anger, but he controlled himself and said nothing. - He cannot hunt, and he is the only one strong enough to protect the cave without any additional help, and I need all the hunters to come.

Broud was filled, again, with mixed emotions, but there was nothing he could do to change Vorn's decision. Besides, he knew, once Vorn stated his reasons, that his former friend was right. He was perfectly capable of protecting the cave by himself, indeed.

- Oga will stay to cook for her mate, - said Vorn, - anyway she would have been too busy with Erga who is still nursing but also walking. Norm, Creb, Una and Ayla are already at the end of their weaning year, so they can stay while their mothers come with us. Oga will take care of them until our return.

- Burt is no problem for Ika, - said Crug, grasping his chance to speak when Vorn made a pause, - and she is used to take him along in the hunts. I think she should come.

- Thank-you, Crug, - said Vorn, - I was worrying about Burt's safety and need to nurse; but if you say there is no problem, then Ika comes. She is strong, experienced and hard working; we are going to need her.

Crug grunted satisfied with the leader's public praise of his mate's qualities, but before Vorn could issue his final instructions and end the meeting, someone else spoke.

- Ebra is not so strong anymore, - said Brun, - she will not be such a great help at the hunt, it's been a long time since she went out in a hunting trip. I think she better stays to help Oga with the older children.

- I disagree, Brun, - said Vorn, - Ebra may not be so strong anymore, but she is wise and experienced, she would be a great asset to this hunting expedition. But I understand if you are worried over her health; she is your mate, if you say she should stay at the cave, she stays.

Brun nodded his thanks to the leader.

- But everybody else comes. - said Vorn - Tomorrow we prepare everything and we leave with the first light, next morning.

All the older children of the clan were very excited about the mammoth hunt, all the clan was, for that matter, but no one was as excited as Ena. She was already eight years old and this was her first time in a hunting trip. Children of the clan, especially girls, used to accompany their mothers when they went with the hunters. But Ena had no mother, and at her home clan she was never allowed to go in a hunt trip, for fear of bad luck. She had packed unpacked and repacked Ebra's old traveling tent and the clothes and tools she planned to take to the hunt, and was ready before noon. Ebra was instructing her about a girl's proper behavior at a long hunt.

- You must forget about playing, - said the old woman, - stay always with the other women and never go wandering around. And don't forget that you are the only female from this hearth going; you must cook for Brun, bring him whatever he needs, and make sure he has a comfortable and warm sleeping place at night. He is not young anymore, and he could easily get sick in a cold night. We don't want that to happen.

- No Ebra, I will make sure that doesn't happen. Can I go with Uba now?

- No you can't, Uba is busy with her own things, you are not going to be any help now, but a nuisance. - said Ebra - However, while traveling, try to stay always next to her; you will learn a lot about finding and testing new plants. You might even learn about some new medicine. But right now, leave her alone and calm down, pack what you are taking to the hunt.

- I am already packed, - said Ena, doubting what to say next; Ebra had been nice to her, and she lived at her hearth as her adopted daughter. It is true that the main concern of the old woman was her mate, and that she felt closer to Uba, but...

- Ebra, - said the girl, - If you are not too busy, can I ask you something?

- I am busy, - said Ebra, - but if you help me with what I am doing, we can talk about whatever you want at the same time.

- It is about relieving men's needs, - said Ena, looking embarrassed at her own feet.

- Has your totem battled for the first time? - asked Ebra, surprised - I hadn't noticed; you should go into isolation, you cannot go to the hunt.

- No, it is not that, - said Ena, even more embarrassed and wishing she hadn't say anything, - it is just that... it... it is... it is too painful!

- How would you know that?

- I was playing mates with Durc...

Durc! It had surprised Ebra to learn that the tall, pale, ugly girl had been playing mates, but Durc made sense; Ena looked too much like Ayla for Durc not to like her. As Ena retold the whole story, Ebra could not help but to remember how it had been for Ayla; and to feel ashamed of the role her only son had played then. But apparently this was not the case now; not only Durc, but all four children had been genuinely scared and worried.

- ...I am so ashamed for having cried loud like a baby, and I fear there is something wrong with me; Ura says it is not supposed to hurt that much, she even says she likes it!. I hate it! I don't know what to do.

- Uba is right, Ena, - said Ebra, caressing the ugly girl's head and wondering, how could Ura like it? Who could have found attractive that other ugly girl, now a woman? She would find out, eventually, but now calming Ena was more important, - you don't have to worry; and I don't think there is anything wrong with you either.

- You don't think so? I mean, how can we know for sure?

- For firsts, - said the old woman, - Uba says not to worry, and she is the first medicine woman of all the clans, so don't worry. And for seconds, I think all that blood and all that pain might not be unusual for a girl of the Others; you are not the first girl to cry loud at her first time, there might be no reason for you to feel ashamed.

Ena looked at Ebra with wide-open eyes.

- Let me tell you about another girl of the Others, - said Ebra, - her name was Ayla, and she was Durc's real mother. Ayla was a bit older than you are now, when her totem battled for the first time and she became a woman; shortly after that, a young man...

Ebra talked with her adopted daughter until it was time to go to sleep. Ena had asked lots of questions, about Ayla, about boys, men, women, needs, totems, mating and so on; and Ebra had answered with plenty of stories and examples, most of them regarding Ayla. By the time Ena went to her sleeping furs, she was glad to have spoken to Ebra, and wishing she had met Ayla before she died, or went away. And when she finally fell asleep, she dreamed of herself going to the Clan Gathering as a full-fledged medicine woman, and carrying a beautiful baby of her own.

It was early in the afternoon of the third day of traveling, when Vorn called for a stop and ordered to set up camp. The men were puzzled, and a little worried. Why had their leader called for so early a stop? The hadn't found any mammoth yet, and that would have been the only logical reason for a stop; but Goov had been talking in private with Vorn in the morning, and the men sensed that, whatever they had talked, it was the reason for setting camp so early.

Even as the women were working, Vorn called for a private meeting with all the men. Durc was asked to join the men while Grev was specifically ordered to stay with the women and the other children and away from the meeting. Grev had been getting used to observe the men's meetings, and was not too happy at being left out, but dared not to object the order. Once the men were gathered outside the camp, Vorn explained.

- Tomorrow, if the mammoths had moved as it was predicted, we should find them. This will be the most important hunt of the year, and we have invested so much time and effort that we cannot afford to fail. - said the leader - So I will demand of each and every one of you to make his best in helping me with the planning of the hunt. I will hear every opinion and I want an opinion from every one of you. Don't forget that our aim is to get two animals, something very unusual and almost unheard of when talking about a mammoth hunt.

Goov took a step towards the center of the circle, while Vorn stepped back.

- It's been six days since the time when Brac saw them, and we cannot be sure of what has happened in that time, so now is a good time for a new hunting ceremony. - The clan magician was talking in the ancient silent formal language. - And this time you are all going to participate.

Once the Mog-ur and his acolyte were ready, Brac passed the bowl to each and every hunter, but not to Durc, who, as a boy, was not allowed to participate. In fact most of the men were uncomfortable with the boy's presence but no one dared to openly object the Mog-ur's decisions.

- You are to be in charge of the drum, - said Brac to the boy, who nodded in silence. He had suspected it, but the acolyte's words not only confirmed his assumption but also explained his presence to the hunters.

Durc began a steady beat with the ceremonial drum, just as he had done for Brac and Goov several times before, while the men began to pound the ground with the butt of their spears following the rhythm with their bodies too. Soon, as it had been always, they all began to drift into their memories; but before they could drift too far, they were pulled together by a powerful commanding brain. The sense of guidance, missing in their ceremonies since Creb's death, came as a welcomed surprise; but the real surprise was the realization that it was not Goov, but Brac who was leading them all.

The transit to the "search" status, looking at the real world from the spirit world, was a stunning surprise for all of them. But Goov was satisfied, he had been right once again; the untrained minds of all clan men were perfectly able to follow Brac just as they had been able to follow Creb.

As soon as he had all eight minds linked to his, Brac began a slow flight around the camp; he could feel the fear in the seven untrained minds of the hunters and wanted to make it easier for them. But there was not much time to lose, soon the sun would descend and he had never searched at night. Taking his fellow hunters along, like a flock of ducks, Brac went north looking for the big beasts.

The mammoths were not where he expected them to be, so Brac began to search in circles, carefully listening to the sound of Durc's drum. When he was about to give up, the big herd suddenly appeared on the horizon. They had wandered much farther west than he had expected them to, but his relief at finding them could be felt by all the hunters. Brac scanned all the territory around and especially ahead of the herd. He wanted the more experienced hunters to study the lay of the land so they could plan the hunt. Suddenly, a strong feeling coming from Brun surprised him, and after a few moments a strong feeling of his own was transmitted to all the hunters. He knew this land, he recognized it in the dark corners of his memories; it was here where Ayla had saved him from a hyena's fangs, so many years ago.

The light was dimming fast, as the sun approached the horizon, and the clan hunters slowly walked back to their camp. Durc, Goov and Brac remained at the ceremonial fire; Brac was too exhausted to move.

- That was impressive, son, - said Goov, - are you feeling alright? You don't look well.

- My head hurts, - said Brac, - I am dizzy and I don't think I can stand up. Everything was fine during the search, but as soon as I came back, the pain began.

Goov refrained to comment on the nonexistence of pain for a clan man, it was evident that his treasured acolyte was not well.

- Durc! - called the mog-ur instead - Help me take Brac to Ura!

When the first rays of the sun hit the clan camp in the morning, all the clan hunters were gathered while the women were packing.

- The spirits favor us, - said Vorn, - the mammoths are near. We will move the camp due west today, and we will hunt tomorrow. It is a big herd, with many young and many pregnant females. I will to listen to anyone wanting to say something now.

- I know the place where the mammoths are going, - said Brac, - it is where a hyena almost killed me as a baby. We could use the same strategy we used then to hunt the mammoths.

- I recognized the place too, - said Brun, - and the blind cannon we used then is in the path of the herd. I think Brac is right, we could repeat that hunt and more easily since there are nine of us now.

- I think Brun is right, - said Crug, - with so many hunters we can try for two mammoths, maybe a big female with a year old calf. We might even be lucky and she could be pregnant. I saw several pregnant females and several grown up calves.

- All right then, - said Vorn, when no one else volunteered an opinion, - This is what we are going to do. Groob and Borg will run ahead to scout the herd; look for the females and the young and their relative position within the herd. Crug and Grod will also run ahead, but to scout the land; examine the cannon we used that time and any other notorious landmark, I will trust in your experience to evaluate the hunting grounds. The rest of us will stay with the woman while we move to our last camp site.

As the runners disappeared in the horizon, the rest of the clan began to slowly follow them; the five children walked together around Ura.

- Look! - said Dorv, pointing east to the horizon, - Aren't they our wolves?

- Are they coming after us? - asked Uma

- No, and they are only two wolves, - said Ura

- I think it is Durc's wolf, - said Ena

- Yes, it is the white wolf, - said Grev, - and he has a very young female with him. It must be the same wolf; there are not that many white wolves around. I don't think he is following us; it rather looks as if he is going away.

- He is going away, - said Durc looking at the fleeing wolves, - he got what he wanted and now he is going away. He will find himself a home far away from here. He has just started his own pack.

* * *

_**MAP:**_

_There is a map for this story but I've found it impossible for me to post a Link to it here._

_A link to the map can be found in my **Profile**_


	6. Chapter 6: Coming of Age

**Chapter ****Six: Coming of Age**

The hunters had been stalking the herd since first light in the morning; it was noon already and Vorn had not given the signal yet.

- What is he waiting for?

- I don't know, - answered Brac to his friend and youngest hunter, Groob, - but Grod, Brun and Droog don't seem to be as impatient as we are.

- Maybe they are all just getting old.

- Maybe they are all just wise. Look! Vorn is signaling something, but I can't see him very well from here.

The two young men were stationed somewhat away from the other hunters; their duty was to turn the chosen mammoth into the blind canyon once the other hunters stampeded it in their direction. Crug and Borg were assigned to the same task but, being stronger hunters, they were closer to the other hunters and therefore had a longer run to make. They also had a better, closer, view of the hunt leaders and were supposed to relay Vorn's instructions to the younger men.

But not this time; with stealthy, deliberately slow movements, the two hunters began to back off abandoning the hunting grounds.

- He is calling it off! - Groob was astounded, almost offended, - Vorn is calling the hunt off!

- He must have his reasons, - said Brac. - I saw him talking to Grod and Brun just before he signaled. I guess we are going to find out why very soon.

The hunters gathered around a small, quickly built, ceremonial fire in the middle of the prairie, halfway between the mammoths and their camp. Groob was very impatient and very excited, but had the good sense to say nothing; Brac had talked to him about it, and he knew his friend was right. Whatever reason Vorn had to abort the hunt, he was bound to explain it to his hunters. And that was just what he did.

- We were not lucky this time, - said Vorn, - the mammoths were too nervous and stayed too close together. The young ones were kept in the center of the herd and the adults surrounding them were too alert. Maybe they saw us.

- They didn't see us, - said Grod.

- No, - confirmed Brun, - I don't think so either. We were downwind, and we were very careful. Something else must have frightened them.

- I wonder if Brac... - said Vorn, looking at Goov.

- I don't know, Vorn, - said The Mog-ur. - He was severely affected by the last search, Durc and I had to carry him to Uba. It worries me, it had never happened before. I fear the consequences if he goes searching again so soon.

- It is alright, Mog-ur, - said the acolyte, - I think it was the effort of pulling all the other hunters along, and you know how the sacred drink always drains me out. I think I could go searching again if I went alone and without the drink.

- I am not so sure, - said Goov, - it had never happened before, not even at the clan gathering when you took all the mog-urs and their adult acolytes along.

- I am not sure either, - insisted Brac, - but I am feeling perfectly well now. That was a different drink then, and those were highly trained minds; they came along by their own, I only had to guide them, it took me a lot more effort yesterday. And if Vorn thinks it would help the clan, I am willing to try; we really need this hunt to succeed.

- Can you search without the magic drink? - asked Vorn

- Yes, he can, - it was Goov who answered, - but he will require full concentration, and our help or he might get lost in the spirit world.

- What does he need from us? - asked the leader - Whatever he needs, he gets.

- We must stay quiet and almost in silence, - said Goov, - I don't have the ceremonial drum here, but we can make a steady beat with the butt of our spears against the ground. We must keep the beat without changing the rhythm or the tempo for as long as he is searching.

- We can do that. - said Vorn. Said by the leader, it was an order for all the hunters.

Brac sat, cross-legged in the ground, right across the fire from Goov, while the rest of the hunters made a closed circle around them. The young acolyte concentrated, with his eyes closed, for a long time, while his mentor observed him closely. At one point, Goov began to rhythmically pound the ground the butt of his spear, humming at the same time. Soon the hunters joined his Mog-ur, awed and admiring, feeling the spiritual force flowing from the young apprentice.

It seemed to take forever, although it was actually not more than a couple hours, but Brac was back again. Falling to the ground, lying on his back, the exhausted young man opened his eyes to the relief of all the men.

- Are you alright? - asked at the same time Vorn and Goov

- What did you find? - asked Groob, eliciting a hard disapproving look from Droog

- I am fine, - said Brac, - only a little tired. Concentrating on the drum is easier, but the spears worked just fine; it just took a little more effort to focus on their sound.

Vorn and Goov helped the young man into a sitting position. Every single pair of eyes had the same question written all over. The question only Groob had made. But Brac was learning much more than legends, ceremonies and magical preparations; he waited until it was evident that the men could not bear the waiting anymore.

- The wolf, - he said, finally, making his mentor very proud; the young man had inherited Creb's uncanny sense of timing, - the white wolf.

Was a mere wolf going to make the long trip a useless effort? It was hard to assimilate, but it wouldn't be the first time. Nature was harsh in their time, and life was a hard struggle; no good result was ever guaranteed.

- Explain, - said Grod curtly.

- The white wolf and his mate have killed a small deer, - said Brac, - there is a lot of blood upwind from the mammoths. I'd say both wolves are injured, maybe the young deer's mother fought the wolves, maybe other predators, I don't know.

- That is why the mammoths were edgy, - said Brun, - they were smelling blood.

- But if we wait for them to move away from the blood, - said Droog, - they will be too far away to chase them into the canyon.

- We must revise our hunting plan, - said Crug, - we cannot wait, and we cannot lose the trip.

- This is very bad luck, - said Borg, dispirited, - the wolves spoiled our hunt.

- No, - gestured Goov in the ancient formal language. - the Wolf is grateful; the mammoths will be given to us. - And in saying that, the clan magician left to the camp followed by his acolyte.

- Why can't he speak clearly? - said Groob.

- The mammoths will be given to us. - repeated Grod.

- I do not understand, - said Vorn, - but if The Mog-ur says so, I trust him. Crug, take Borg and scout the herd, the rest of us go back to the camp; if anything happens worth reporting, send Borg with the news. Droog, you and Groob will replace Crug and Borg after you have eaten and rested. Tonight we discuss the hunt again.

When the sun disappeared on the horizon, Droog and Groob arrived to the camp where the hunters were already gathered around a big fire.

- Crug was right, - said Droog, - the herd has effectively turned, they are now heading directly towards the canyon.

The experienced hunter had reported earlier that the herd had stopped, and was about to change course, but he couldn't know which direction where they were going to take

- I wish I was there with the boys, - said Ura, - to see the mammoths. I have never seen a live mammoth.

- You are crazy, - said Ena, - it is too dangerous. I don't want to be anywhere near to a living mammoth, ever.

The girls were at the camp, resting after having been helping the women with the morning chores, and looking after the younger girls while the boys had gone to a protected spot so they could watch the hunt from afar and without risk.

- Do you think they will succeed now? - asked Ura, - They weren't lucky yesterday.

- I don't know, - said Ena, - but they were very confident. Vorn told Durc something Mog-ur said about the mammoth being given to them. He even allowed Durc and Grev to go and watch the hunt. Brac wasn't too happy about that, though. Uba told me he almost got killed doing just that.

- I've heard he was training to be leader, - said Ura, - but turned to train to be Mog-ur instead, after that accident.

- That shows just how dangerous it is, - said Ena, - I am worried about Durc. A mammoth could kill him... them.

- Vorn would not allow them to go if there was any danger, - said Ura, - I saw him discussing it with Goov, Grod and Brun before deciding. Brac was the only one disagreeing, but he was not asked.

- You are probably right, - said Ena, - and the boys seemed very excited about it.

- I wish I was there with the boys... - repeated Ura.

- You are crazy, - repeated Ena

Durc and Grev were looking at the herd of mammoths from their high lookout. They had climbed the steep walls of the canyon, on Vorn's orders, to make sure they were safe. They both carried their favorite weapons. Grev carried his best and heaviest spear and his sling; Durc carried his newest bola and two flying spears, as well as his sling. The view in front o them was magnificient. The large herd was slowly parading in front of the trap, traveling downwind, away from the disturbing smell of the wolves' kill, and the boys could see the hunters beyond the mammoths, in their hiding places, waiting for Vorn's signal.

For once Crug was happy about something that was new, alien to the clan tradition's, and, worst of all, coming from the others. But the truth was that the smell of fire from a live coal would have forced them to take positions much farther away from the herd than they were now. The magic fire-making stones brought to them by that man of the Others were, for the experienced hunter, something to be happy about.

A young male, not two years old yet, wandered close to the canyon entrance having found a small patch of greener, younger, grass. He was too small to fulfill the clan hunter's expectations, but his action called the attention of an older pregnant female, who followed him. For an instant, they were individuals, not part of the big all-powerful herd, and therefore, vulnerable. It was the opening Vorn had been waiting for. The young leader looked at Grod, his second-in-command, and at Brun, the all knowing former leader; their faces told him he was right.

- Get ready! - The signal flooded every hunter's bloodstream with adrenaline.

- Now, Grod! Now!

Grod, armed with a fire-making kit, quickly started a small fire and began to lit up torches. Goov and Brac, waiting for Grod to begin first in deference to his status, started two other small fires. Before anyone could realize all the hunters had two torches each, it was so fast that seemed magic. But the clan men did not stop to wonder, wielding their torches, running as fast as their legs could carry them, and screaming their lungs out, the hunters first positioned themselves between the herd and the two stranded mammoths, and then formed a semicircle around their prey. The old dry grass prevalent that late in the season caught fire easily as the hunters used their torches to start a wild, raging, prairie fire. The herd, caught completely by surprise, panicked and stampeded away; while the two singled out as prey by the clan, found themselves separated from the herd by a wall of fire and surrounded by more fire from the torches of the screaming clan men. Turning in circles, bumping into each other, the frightened beasts took what seemed the only way out but was in fact the way in, to the blind canyon.

From that point on, the hunt evolved pretty much like the one Brun had led, only this time there were two mammoths instead of one. The young male quickly outpaced the pregnant female and led her deep into the long, narrow, canyon. When he found himself trapped, the young animal tried unsuccessfully to turn around, only to be pushed by the panicked female crashing on him. Before she could turn or walk backwards, Borg and Groob had cut the tendons of both her hind legs. Trapped, his way out blocked by the big pregnant female, the young male with his short murderous tusk was most dangerous. The hunters concentrated in killing the female while avoiding the male tusks and trump, but they were not about to let him go.

Grod and Droog, covered in blood from the first kill, made dash runs towards the young animal aiming to thrust their heavy spears in his soft belly, to draw blood and weaken him. But the young bull was too agile and too strong. Despite the pain from his wounds, he managed to climb over the dead body of the fallen female and break away, badly injured. He was going to die from his wounds, but not immediately. He would escape the clan hunters to feed some scavenger a day later, if only he could reach the mouth of the canyon. Picking up speed, followed by the much slower humans, the young behemoth raised his head and trumpeted out his pain, his fury and his fear. Right there and then, out of nowhere, a spear came flying down from the sky and stabbed him in the right eye.

Brac's heart missed a heartbeat, the memory of such a spear flying over the bushes to stab a wild boar from side to side came vividly to his mind. He almost expected to see Rec appearing out of nowhere to claim the mammoth. But as the young bull tripped over falling down, and the clan hunters following him surrounded the falling animal and plunged their spears in his body, a loud victory cry coming from the sky made the young acolyte raise his head. High up, at the top of the canyon's wall, Durc was jumping and yelling while Grev looked awed at his friend. Suddenly, the deformed boy dropped his weapons, stood up with his arms hanging straight down, raised his head to the sky, and howled like a wolf.

Ena was treating Durc's bruised and scratched legs and knees, almost afraid of touching him, not daring to look him in the eyes. Ura and she had both wanted to be with the boys and learn firsthand what the whole clan was gossiping about, but Ura was too busy now, despite her infinite curiosity she had to go with all the other women to work on the mammoths. Ena wondered. Was Durc a man now? A real hunter? She wanted to talk with him but if he was already a man she would have to ask for his permission to speak; even if he hadn't had yet his manhood ceremony it would be unwise not to treat him like a man. But she could not bring herself to do it. He was just a boy in her eyes, a friend and a playmate, she would not grant him the hunter status before due time. So she concentrated in her work; both boys had lost their footing coming down from their high lookout post and their legs were all covered in dirt caked with blood, it was nothing really serious, and Uba had asked her to treat the boys while she worked on the little more seriously injured hunters. It was the first time Uba gave her the responsibility for a medical treatment unsupervised, and Ena was determined not to let her down, not even with the boys, not even with just bruises and scratches.

But, was Durc a man now? A real hunter? The question in Ena's head was put into signals by Groob at the hunter's meeting that night. Sitting around a good sized fire, somewhat apart from the central camp area as the ancient customs called for, the hunters were gathered away from the eyes of women and children. Durc and Grev had not been invited, this was a meeting for men, and men only.

Much earlier, at the hunting grounds, Groob had received the first taste of the big pregnant she-mammoth's liver, and Grod the first taste of the young male's. Unlike Brun, who had credited the kill to all of the hunters so many years ago, Vorn had followed strictly the traditions and credited each kill to the first hunter to seriously wound each animal. Now, after allowing some time for small talk among his men, the young leader grunted everyone to attention.

- Today, - said Vorn, - the Great Cave Bear has guided this clan to the luckiest hunt I can remember, and I think we must show Him how grateful we are. I feel that burying the livers is not enough and The Mog-ur has agreed to perform a special ceremony tonight.

All the men nodded affirmatively; two mammoths, one of them heavily pregnant, were more than enough to feed their clan throughout the whole winter, even if they hadn't meat and fat already stored, which they did. And although no man ended the hunt unharmed, none had been too seriously injured either. The worse being Crug, who tried to block the young male from escaping the trap and received a heavy blow from the young bull's tusk that sent him flying several feet away with a couple ribs slightly cracked but not actually broken.

- Regarding the boy, Durc, - continued the leader, - he disobeyed my orders, used a non-clan weapon and endangered the hunters by using it. However, in doing so, he made the kill possible; the mammoth would have escaped if he had strictly obeyed me. What should I do about Durc then? There has been some talk about making him a hunter; let me tell you, that is not possible. He cannot be considered a hunter without a manhood hunt, and this one was not. Even if it were, it would have to be him the first to wound the animal, and this was not the case. Clan traditions are clear on the subject and I don't want the issue discussed anymore. Durc is a boy, a boy who disobeyed the leader, and he will be punished for it according to clan ways.

All the men were quiet and silent, they did not expect this. Of course none of the older hunters really expected Vorn to make Durc a hunter; that was an idea entertained only by the youngest hunters of the clan. But no one expected Vorn to announce that the boy would be punished, not after his stopping the fleeing mammoth. It was Goov who explained it to the men, so they would recover a proper state of mind for the ceremony.

- Durc is not a common clan boy, - Goov said, talking very slowly - he is special, very gifted, and with a strong protection from the spirits. I could feel the presence of his totem even since yesterday, and I knew, somehow, that it would help us today. Maybe his totem wants him to be a hunter, or maybe the Wolf just used him to help us; I don't know. But one thing I do know; as Vorn said, he cannot be a hunter without a manhood hunt, and this one was not. Is he ready for a manhood hunt? No; his whole attitude, disobeying Vorn, no matter what a good result his disobedience turned out to produce, endangering with that flying weapon the hunters who were following the mammoth, noisily jumping up and down in celebration, playing wolf, and so on. He even hurt himself by being careless while climbing down the canyon walls. All that childish behavior has only one explanation; he is still a child. Being a hunter is not only being able to hunt. A hunter often has the life of his fellow hunters in his hand. A hunter must not only be fast, strong, courageous and skilled, he also has to be responsible and disciplined. Durc may grow up to be a great hunter, a worthy man and a great asset to the clan; but he still has to grow up, and while he does, we have to protect him from himself.

- And you, - said The Mog-ur looking at Brac, Groob and Borg - don't you worry about your friend; you know what the clan punishment for children is.

- It is unfair! - said Ura while working hard at the mammoth hide - It is so unfair!

The young woman was really disappointed. If Durc had been made a man, she would have been given to him as his mate. She would have spent the coming winter in her own hearth, with her own mate. She had found out everything about Durc's prowess from Brac right after the hunt, and about some hunters saying Vorn would make him a hunter right there an then; she had even began to make plans for that winter. Now it seemed she would remain the lowest status woman of the clan, the only unmated woman, for at least another winter, and maybe two.

- Vorn won't even let Groob or Borg talk to me, - said Durc, contrite, - and I am forbidden to even look at the men's meetings. He ordered all the men to ignore me; they will only talk to me for training, and that means only Brun and Vorn. But Mog-ur explained me why Vorn is right; I could have really killed someone with that spear.

- You wouldn't, - said Ena, glad to be able to speak freely with the boy. "You are too good with it" she thought, but said nothing. She was working with Ura at the same hide while Durc had been ordered to "Go and help the women".

- You didn't - said Ura, - that is what matters; and you downed this fat friend here. You should have been made a hunter at the ceremony last night. It is so unfair that you should be angry. I am a woman and I am angry! I am so angry it has made me sick.

- Are you sick? - asked Ena, worried and curious, - Have you told Uba? Do you want me to call her?

- There is no need to, - said Ura, - anger upset my stomach overnight, I woke up nauseous and threw my breakfast; but I am alright now, and all this work has made me hungry. Oda is in charge of cooking today, we are in for a treat.

- Maybe there was something in the food last night, - volunteered Durc, - Uba threw her breakfast this morning too, but she didn't look concerned about it either. - Or maybe, thought Durc, Uba, his mother, was also upset about his not being promoted to hunter status.

The clan stayed more than two weeks processing the meat, the fat and the hides from the mighty beasts they had killed. The hunters had a really hard time chasing off the scavengers drawn to their meat, all kind of weasels, kites, hyenas, and even small cats were stalking the camp day and night. Vorn ordered all the discarded parts to be thrown at a spot quite away from the camp, hoping to attract the scavengers there, and that lessened the pressure over the hunters; but still the children had to be kept guarded at all times, and, despite all efforts, an important part of their hard won meat was lost to the predators and scavengers.

But at the end, when the clan had packed everything for their women to carry, they found they had almost more than they could take. The older children were asked to help with the younger ones, so their mothers wouldn't have to worry about them at all times. Ena was given a load almost as big as any woman and even Uma was charged with carrying little Burt so Ika could carry more. Their pace was, out of necessity, much slower than usual and by the time they got to the cave they had employed twice as much time coming back than they had spent going. The women were all exhausted, their feet sore and their entire bodies aching; but no one complained, in their backs they had the means for them, their mates and their children to survive the harshest and longest winter, and some more. The hunters had no easy time either, the large quantity of meat attracted all kind of unwelcome visitors; they spent most of the days and all of the nights fighting off foxes, wolves, hyenas, lynxes, weasels, and even some carrion birds. Despite their young age, Grev, Durc, and even Dorv, from their guarded position in the middle of the group of travelers, contributed to the protection of the hunting party with hard flung stones from their slings. Many valuable pelts were added to the clan's treasure, but many more were left behind due to excess of load. And they got home just in time; when they woke up after their last night out, a thin layer of snow covered the landscape as far as they could see. As Goov had predicted, winter was early that year.

Once in the cave, a big feast was prepared in celebration for the successful hunt. The spectacular hunt dances were performed not only for the benefit of the women, the children and the ones who were left in the cave, but also to reinforce the spiritual link among the hunters and between them and their clan. Broud was in the worst of moods; not only had the clan pulled off their most successful hunt without him, but the son of the hated Ayla had played an important part on it. The fact that Vorn decided that the arrival to their cave was a good time to end the boy's punishment did little to improve Broud's dark moods. But there was nothing he could do about it, he could only wait; wait and bid his time.

Late that night, after the hunt dances, when the children were sent to sleep and the women gathered to continue their celebrations, the men met in the sacred inner cave.

- Before the ceremony that will mark the end of the hunting season and the beginning of winter, - said Vorn, - there are some things we should talk about. First, we should hear what Broud has to inform about the time he spent guarding our home. Broud?

- You were gone a long time, - said Broud, standing up in the center of the circle of hunters, - but I have not let anything bad happen to the cave, the women or the children. I have killed a brown bear that came to stalk the cave and a dangerous wolf who tried to come inside. - And in saying that, Broud unpacked a bundle he had brought with him to the meeting and showed the cured pelts of a small bear and a young wolf.

- The women and children under mi care, - continued Broud, - were well fed and did not get sick, and I hunted many small animals and many fish so very little of our stored meat was used. My mate, Oga, foraged very skillfully near the cave and also very little of our stored vegetables were used. I think, then, that I have complied with the responsibility entrusted to me.

Having finished, Broud collected his pelts and sat down in his place.

- You have done well, Broud, - said the leader, - and we are lucky to have you in our clan. No other hunter could have taken care of this cave alone.

Broud was satisfied with Vorn's praise, but he felt that he deserved it.

- Now, - said Vorn, - I will hear what anyone has to say about the spear Durc used to help in hunting the mammoth.

- Groob would talk. - said the youngest hunter.

- Groob may talk. - said the leader.

- I say, it is an important weapon if a boy can hunt mammoth with it. - said Groob - I say that all the hunters should practice with the flying spear during the winter so we all could use it next summer.

- Crug would talk…

- Crug may talk…

- I don't think we should use the spear of the Others, - said Crug, and his were the words of the acknowledged best hunter of the clan, - it is not strong enough and can break easily, it cannot be thrown far enough to be an advantage and it leaves the hunter defenseless once it is thrown. Also, it is not a clan weapon; there is nothing in the traditions about throwing spears, the spirits may not like it ant it could bring bad luck. I will not use such a weapon; I say it is nonsense to try.

- Brun would talk…

- I think both Crug and Groob have reason, - said the former leader after a curt nod from Vorn, - If a boy, and a weak boy at that, can hunt mammoth with that weapon, then it is a weapon worth of our interest. But it is, in effect, a dangerous weapon, since the hunter that uses it is left defenseless, as Crug says. I think we should all practice with the new spear over the winter, but consider it only a complementary weapon, like the bola.

- I can see many advantages on it, - continued Brun, - especially for a lone hunter. A man could climb on a tree or a high cliff and hunt the animals passing by, even big animals, without danger for himself. Even an injured man, like Broud, could hunt big game with this weapon. And I don't think it would bring bad luck; it did bring us good luck this time.

After the old leader spoke, most of the men seemed to agree with him. They were exchanging affirmative nods and nobody asked to speak. Broud was particularly silent, quiet and pensive. Maybe Groob was right, maybe the clan should change to this new weapon; maybe Brun was right too, maybe he could hunt as well as any man with it. If that ever happened, maybe he could be leader again…

- I think Brun is right, - said Vorn, - but I will not order everyone to try the new weapon; I will leave that decision to each man.

Broud had already made his decision.

- There is another problem we are facing, - continued the leader, - the medicine woman informed me that the deformed woman, Ura, is pregnant. She will give birth next summer, just before the leaves begin to turn brown. She is supposed to mate Durc, but he is still a boy, and too immature to become a man; and her baby will be unlucky if born before she is mated. This is a matter for the leader to decide, but since any decision I make is bound to affect all of you, I will hear anyone wanting to state an opinion.

Broud was just about to rant about how wrong had it been to accept that woman into their clan, and what a burden she was; but checked himself just in time, remembering it had been he who agreed to that mating in the first place. Still he couldn't refrain from speaking his feelings out.

- I say let that baby be born to an unmated woman. - said Broud hastily – I don't think that deformed boy, Durc, will ever be good enough to become a hunter, and no other hunter should be burdened with that ugly worthless woman. Besides, her baby will probably be just as deformed as she is and, if the leader follows the traditions, it won't be allowed to live anyway. So, what does it matter if he or she is unlucky?

Broud's words were received with disgust, and Brun was the one most affected by the unclanlike attitude of the son of his mate; Ura was Clan, and the clan always cared for their own. In Brun's eyes, Broud's attitude was unworthy of a clan hunter, and more so of a former clan leader.

- Brun would speak, - said slowly the proud old man, looking directly at Broud and making evident his lack of manners.

- Brun may speak, - said Vorn, just as angry.

- There is a long winter, - said Brun, - a spring and half a summer, before that baby is born. I say there is no need to rush making a decision now. Of course, the leader is the only one to decide, but I would suggest that we push Durc as hard as we can and see what happens. If by the time when the baby is due the boy is ready, he can then be made a hunter; if he is not, another decision can be made then.

The mood was broken by Broud's outburst, and nobody was comfortable to say anything else, so Vorn decided to end the meeting.

- You are right Brun, as you always are. - said Vorn; without saying anything about it, he had already decided not to risk Ura's baby to be unlucky, Uba was pregnant as well, and bad luck usually spread around.- There is no need to make decision now. We will do as you say, and when the time is due I will decide what is best. Now let's go on with the ceremony. Mog-ur?

Goov stood up, covered with his ceremonial cloak, and walked to the center of the circle, accompanied by his acolyte. The men's ceremony began.

Winter came not only earlier, but also colder than usual; and for Durc, Grev and Ena, busier than ever. Leadership training for Durc and Grev took most of Vorn´s Brun´s and Goov's time. Grod was also intensifying his lessons on spear making to Grev, but also included Durc and Dorv, a proud little man past his growing and learning years now ending his first training year. Young Dorv was model clan boy; proud, self controlled, disciplined and a precocious hunter, but it was not unexpected since it was Crug who was training him. Ena was, on her part, completely absorbed by her medical training under Uba; Ura's difficult pregnancy, and Uba's own, gave her not only the opportunity to learn but also forced her to assume part of the pregnant medicine woman's workload. Hunt injuries, pregnancy and winter sicknesses were amongst the most important topics for a trainee medicine woman to learn, and now Ena had plenty of two of them to practice.

However, who surprised everyone by volunteering for community service was Broud. He asked to be put in charge of the new flying spear training. He argued, and Vorn happily agreed, that since it was to be considered only a complementary weapon, it was not necessary to put one of the active hunters in charge of that. He also quoted Brun at saying that it would be an ideal weapon for an injured man like him, and also pointed at the fact that many spears would have to be made and it was the son of his mate, Grev, who was being trained by Grod in that craft.

Training under Broud was extenuating; Borg, Brac and Groob spent endless hours in the snow outside the cave practicing under Broud's supervision and suffering his derogative comments; older hunters had little tolerance for Broud's moods and practiced alone and less often, but they still went to the former leader for spears. Crug refused to try the new weapon, but did not prevent the sons of his hearth to practice with it. The boys were not included in Broud's practice sessions, the irascible cripple had little patience for children, but they still practiced in the inner cave after their meetings with Goov, Brun or Vorn. Soon Brun's opinion of the flying spear began to be proven right; it was a short range, marginal weapon, but nonetheless an interesting one. Clan hunters were unable to perform high overcast throws like Rec's; they used the technique developed by Brac and Grev, starting with the throwing arm down and back, and throwing forward, slightly upwards, and angling to the side. Despite their strength, their range was slightly less than half of Rec's; but when it came to throwing it downwards, their tremendous musculature allowed them to throw with incredibly great force. Climbed on a tree, Broud could throw a spear with such force that the whole bone point got buried in the ground; no one doubted that he could stab any animal, no matter how big, from side to side.

When half of the long winter was over, Broud decided it was time to test the new weapon for real. Brac had searched and discovered a small herd of mountain goats in a cliff not too far from the cave; with Vorn's approval Broud took the three youngest hunters and went out early in the morning on a clear, dry mid-winter day. His bad leg prevented him from running; but in the third winter after his accident he was a strong walker, and the youngsters had to put in an effort to keep up with him. Vorn and Brun stood at the mouth of the cave watching the four men disappear in the distance, uphill. Vorn was worried, sending his three most inexperienced hunters under the leadership of the clan's most reckless hunter, was not something bound to give him peace of mind; but he had not wanted to embarrass his former leader and friend, questioning his ability to lead this winter hunt. Brun, on the other hand, was genuinely impressed with Broud's attitude, not only towards the new weapon but in a general sense. Had the son of his mate finally grown to become a responsible, worthy man of the clan? Adversity had a way of changing a man's life; maybe he had been too fast to condemn the man. He did overcome adversity at the clan gathering and managed to win two contests, a fate no other man achieved at that particular gathering; maybe he just needed maturity.

Maybe it was the severe winter, maybe it was the severe training or, maybe, it was just age; but the change in Grev was too big not to be noticed. And it was Durc, his best friend, who noticed it most. Grev was not the enthusiast, playful, carefree child he had always been; one day he went to his sleeping furs a grown up boy, and he woke up next morning a young man.

- This hunting thing is much more complicated than it seems at first sight, - was saying Grev to his milk brother. They had been listening to Brun explain a rhinoceros hunt that had taken place when he was a young hunter, not yet a leader, and still in training.

- I still don't understand why Brooz didn't use the trap, - said Durc, that hunt was in both boy's memories and, after being reminded by Brun, they remembered it just as if it had happened yesterday and they had been there, - They had spent the whole night building it, and it was the safest way to do it. Baiting a full grown rhino is always dangerous; he could have been killed instead of ending with just a broken leg.

- It must have been because of the wind, - said Grev, - the wind changed during the night. They would have had to set fire to the prairie to get the rhino to run to the trap.

- So what? - said Durc, - Vorn started a prairie fire to get the mammoths; it worked.

- Yes, but, the wind. Remember the wind?

- What about the wind?

- It would have taken the fire to the camp, where the women were… I think. Am I right?

- I am not sure, maybe. But who is going to be thinking in the wind while hunting? You just make sure to be downwind from your prey. How could he know where the camp was? How could he know that the fire would go that way? The fire goes wherever it wants, - Durc was really tired of the long lesson, - and, while hunting you concentrate in hunting, or you get killed. Brun taught us that many years ago, from the very beginning.

- I think that is the lesson, - said Grev, - that it is alright for a hunter to concentrate only in the hunt, but a leader must think in everything and at all times.

- I guess you are right, - agreed Durc, - that must be the lesson. But Brooz misjudged the right time for the kill; the rhino was not completely spent.

- Maybe not, - agreed Grev, - but all the hunters were already spent; the rhino would have gored the next one, for sure. That is why he ordered everyone to stay away, and went for it alone. Now I see it, it was not for the glory, it was to protect his hunters.

- But he could have been killed, - said Durc, - and the clan would have been left without leader. Brun was not ready yet by then.

- No, but Zoug was a wise and experienced hunter already. - said Grev - Remember Zoug? He would have stepped in as leader, just like Vorn did when Broud got injured. Brooz needed the meat, so he risked his life; but he protected the women and he did not needlessly risk his hunters.

- I see, - said Durc, - not fully convinced; but those are too many things to think about while, at the same time, leading the hunt. Would you really risk your life against a rhino if it comes to it?

- I am not all that sure, - said Grev, recovering his youthful good mood. – but thanks Ursus I will not ever have to make that decision. It is you who will have to make the decisions and face the rhinos, my friend.

Durc was about to answer with a banter, but refrained and became thoughtful. It was no joke to lead men in a hunt. A leader could send his men to death with a wrong decision, even Grev here could die if he, Durc, failed as leader. He wasn't so sure he wanted to lead one day.

- It is already dark, - said Vorn, walking into Grod's hearth, - and Broud is not back yet. Maybe we should send someone looking for them.

- It is not too dark yet, - said Grod, surprised by Vorn's uneasiness, - It just gets darker earlier inside the cave.

- But they have been gone since early in the morning.

- Maybe we could build a big fire just outside the cave, - suggested Grod, - so they can see it from afar if it really gets too dark.

Just then a loud noise called their attention to the entrance passage; a moment later Broud came in, limping, but carrying a good sized mountain goat on his massive shoulders. Hands flew as everyone in the cave looked at their former leader wile Borg emerged from the entrance passage carrying another goat, a small one obviously born this last spring. But what made everyone forget manners and openly stare, were Brac and Groob coming after Borg, and carrying between them, hanging from a pole made of three spears tied together, an enormously big mountain goat.

Ena was at Mog-ur's hearth, having gone there to bring Ura her medicine, and spent some time talking to her friend while, at the same time, examining her.

- You should be doing just fine by now, - said Ena, - your stomach not as upset as it was at the beginning. Your belly is beginning to show some signs of pregnancy already.

- My stomach is far worse than it was, - countered Ura, - I stay nauseous all day, and I am having cramps and headaches. Oda said it was going to get better after the first moon, but it seems to be getting worse instead. Do you think my baby will be deformed? Oda says that when a woman's totem fights too hard, it deforms the baby; she said her totem fought really hard when she had me.

- I don't know, - said Ena, - but Ayla, Durc's mother, always said that Durc was not deformed, that he was part Clan and part Others. She also said that you were not deformed either.

- How would you know that? You have never talked to her. And what did she know about me? She only saw me once, when I was a newborn.

- Durc told me. He said his mamma always told him that; that he was not deformed and that you weren't either. I think she could be right, Ura says she was the wisest medicine woman ever, even if she was so young.

- Wiser than Iza? - asked Ura, surprised - But she wasn't even Iza's real daughter, and I've heard that she didn't have memories.

- No, she had no memories, but then neither do I. Ura says she could know what was wrong with anybody just by looking, and that she could make new medicines that weren't even in the memories, in no one's memories.

- Maybe Ayla was right, maybe I am half Clan and half Others. So what? It doesn't help me at all; it doesn't make me feel any better.

- Ura says Ayla had the hardest pregnancy anybody remembers when she had Durc. - explained Ena - She was a little girl and knew nothing about medicine then, but she remembers it perfectly. I think maybe that is normal for women of the Others; maybe it will be that way if I ever get pregnant, and if you are part Others, it could be the reason for your pains.

- I don't know, girl, but if you are right we both have a very, very painful future, my friend. - said Ura holding her aching head.

Vorn was sitting with Grod, Brun and Goov in the inner cave talking about the last, so notoriously successful, winter hunt.

- I don't know what to think, - was saying Vorn, - Three animals killed by just four hunters in one winter day….

- It just proves that Brun was right, - said Goov, - suggesting that everybody trained with the flying spear. And you were right too, Vorn, putting Broud in charge of it; the young hunters are well trained, all four spears found their marks and Broud killed the biggest goat of the herd with just one spear.

They all were in a good mood. Fresh meat from the mountain goats had been distributed to all of the hearths; expertly cooked, it had been a real treat at mid winter when they usually ate dried stored meat. Also, the perspective of a new weapon that allowed them to hunt big game, summer or winter, filled them with enthusiasm.

- Broud has always been a good hunter, - said Brun, - but all the hunters did well. Borg also killed his goat with just one hit, off course it was the smallest one; even Brac showed a quick reaction finishing the one wounded by Groob.

- It was the one Broud carried back, wasn't it? At first, - said Goov, - I thought they had killed the big one.

- No, - said Grod, - Broud did. Too big for one man to carry alone, though. Broud wants the women with them next time.

- I don't think so, - said Vorn, - a winter hunt is too dangerous to let the women go along; maybe in spring.

- Broud will want to hunt with the new weapon next summer. - said Goov - If he does, he will want the leadership back.

The four men looked at each other for a while; no one had thought about that. They were doing so well under Vorn leadership that they never thought it could end so soon, and thinking about long range implications of present affairs was alien to their nature. Only Vorn, the magician, had his mind trained to think in terms of future. Brun, after so many years of leadership, and in a lesser measure Vorn, for the very same reason, could also understand and think about it, but only after the mog-ur had spoken about the subject. It spoiled the good moods of the meeting.

- If Broud proves himself able to hunt with the clan, - said Vorn, without much conviction, - I will hand him back the leadership. I made that clear from the beginning.

- It's only been one lucky winter hunt, - said Grod.

- Grod is right, - said Brun, - we have to wait and see the next hunts, and also how well he does in summer.

All four men grunted affirmatively, but the mood was definitely lost. Soon afterwards they ended the meeting and went back to their hearths.

The winter stayed for a long time yet, and despite Broud's wishes he couldn't go out hunting as often as he would have wanted. The weather was not always that good, and Brac was not always that lucky finding probable prey either. A few more winter game was killed with the flying spear, but nothing as spectacular as that first hunt. Training went on relentlessly, Broud would not have it any other way, and even Crug, after seeing the results of the first hunt, inspected and tried the new weapon. But as the time passed by, and the cold winter gave no signs of ending, less and less game was found; not even by Brac. Broud's bad moods could not be worse.

The long winter affected the general health of the clan. As usual it was the older people who were affected most. Ura's pregnancy continued to be a complicated one and Oga added herself to the list of pregnant women, while Uba's pregnancy progressed without noticeable incidents; all the added workload kept Ena busy, helping, and occasionally replacing, the clan's medicine woman. Broud took Oga's pregnancy as a good omen, and announced to everyone that he was sure it would be a boy this time. The news helped to ease his dark moods over the lack of success at winter hunting, but he disliked the frequent presence of Ena at his hearth, and his lack of motives to forbid it made him angry. He complained, frequently, that the strange girl could bring bad luck to Oga's baby, but nobody else seemed to agree; Vorn even pointed out that, after Ayla being acknowledged first medicine woman, there was no doubt that a woman of the Others could become a good Clan Medicine Woman if "properly" trained. Broud just did not dare to qualify Ena's training by the leader's mate and First Medicine Woman of the Clan as "improper". But something happened that gave Broud the excuse he was hoping for; one day, almost at the end of winter, Uka died.

- I don't understand, - said an inconsolable Ena, - I had just checked her and she looked healthy. We chatted a little, she took her medicine, and then she just died! It is my fault! I must have done something wrong! Maybe Broud is right, I brought her more than bad luck, I brought her death.

Ena had just finished with Uka and both were walking to Brun's hearth, Ena to examine Ebra and Uka to visit her sister, when the mate of the second-in-command suddenly tripped and fell. The old woman made some unintelligible gestures and then ceased to move at all, although she kept breathing. Uba had Uka taken back to her sleeping place, but, after checking her, the clan's medicine woman declared that her spirit had left. Goov was called in, but all his efforts to bring Uka's spirit back to her body were useless; two days later Uka's body, deprived of her spirit, ceased to breathe and died.

- It is nobody's fault, - told Uba to her trainee, - sometimes the spirit of a person just leaves, nobody knows why. Sometimes it comes back, and if it happens soon, that person can live a little more time; but it always brings some damage. Sometimes half of the body dies and only the other half works again, sometimes the face gets distorted, or one hand looses skill, or one leg. If the spirit returns, there is some medicine that can help, and some exercises too, exercise is very important in recovery. I will show you the medicine and the exercises; but once a spirit has left a body, even if it returns, it always ends up leaving again sooner or later, and this time for good.

But Ena could not believe she had no blame at all. Broud forbade her to examine Oga, or even come into his hearth; it was his right and this time nobody criticized his decision. Finally, after a week of remorse and suffering, Ena announced to Uba that she didn't want to be a medicine woman anymore.

- Maybe you are right, - said Uba knowing better than to openly disagree with the girl, - it is not easy to be a medicine woman. It is not easy to see people you love suffer and die without being able to help. My own baby died in my arms and I still don't know why. It is very hard indeed.

- But… But… How can you not know! You are the first ranked medicine woman of all clans!

- Yes, I am, - said Uba, - but I am still just a woman; there are things about life and death that are beyond all knowledge, it just can't be helped. There are good things in being a medicine woman though. Every time I hold a newborn baby in my arms, that makes it all worthwhile, especially difficult babies like Una. Do you remember when you helped to bring Burt into this world? You are a medicine woman, Ena, it is in you and you cannot help it. You can choose to train to be a good one or not, that is up to you; you might one day be acknowledged as one or you might not, that is up to the leader. But you cannot stand seeing someone suffer without trying to help, I know that much, and my mother always said that was the true sign of a medicine woman, if there ever was one. And you have it, my dear girl, you have it.

Spring came late and wet. Heavy rains and floods made it dangerous to go outside the cave, and the amount of water flowing inside the cave increased so much, that, at certain point, it was impossible to go into the second chamber without walking ankle deep in the small subterranean river. Also the pond that occupied little more than half the inner cave had grown to almost two thirds of it; yet, at no time it threatened to flood the curtained area designated by Goov as the place of the spirits.

After the rains and the floods, the earth began to dry, the snow melted or was washed out; and once the snow disappeared, the entire landscape blossomed with the infinite colors of all kind of flowers. Birds and squirrels were among the first animals to reappear; rabbits, hares and other small rodents were next. Soon the smaller predators that hunted them came back, and, day after day, plant and animal life began to fill the rich land around the cave. It was as if, after the unusually long and cold winter, nature was hurried to bring forth life again.

For Ena it was the time to collect roots and flowers that could only be found in this particular season. With Uba almost half along her pregnancy, Vorn was not too keen to allow her treasured high status woman to go out far from the cave. Ena was thus charged with the task of looking for the plants required to replenish the medicine woman's supplies, and Brac was usually the one appointed to go with her as protection. The mog-ur's acolyte was also in charge of getting the plants and roots required by the clan's magician for his own preparations, and most of them were also used by the medicine woman, so the arrangement seemed logic, and actually worked just fine.

Brac's curiosity about the strange girl led him to seek for topics of conversation, and Ena wasn't immune to the personal charm of the young acolyte. Brac was unanimously considered by all girls, and many of the women, as the most handsome young man of the clan; of all clans, for that matter. Being an adult, and a future mog-ur, Brac managed to earn the confidence of the grown up girl, and soon had her asking him about many unrelated subjects; most of them about the clan's legends, about this particular clan's history, about customs, traditions and proper social behavior. The young girl's intelligence and perspicacity surprised Brac; she was not the helpless, mindless and superficial creature women were supposed to be. Ena's curiosity and understanding of highly complicated matters led the young acolyte to tell her about some very difficult concepts as numbers or the relation between the stars, the changes in the sunset and the seasons. The girl's intelligence surprised Brac again and again and soon he understood that although her memory was not even average, her reasoning largely surpassed his own; Brac's interest for Ena successively changed into admiration, respect and, ultimately, something between awe and fear.

For Ena, Brac became a treasured friend; he was a man, and as such, he had access to knowledge no woman of the clan had, and he didn't mind her asking. In fact, especially at the beginning, he seemed to encourage her asking. So many questions that Ebra had been unwilling, or unable, to answer; and that she wouldn't dare to ask Brun, much less Goov. After a couple of weeks, complicated questions such as women hunting and men cooking were object of long conversations. Typical answers, like "That is the Clan way" were not in Brac's vocabulary; he resorted to his oldest memories and discussed his findings with her. But as the spring slowly gave way to summer, Ena felt Brac change. He began to avoid being alone with her, and when they were, he avoided deep conversation. Ena began to suspect that he was afraid of something, maybe they had infringed some sacred taboo, maybe she was not supposed to know what Brac had told her, maybe she had gotten Brac in deep trouble, maybe he just didn't like her anymore because she was not feminine enough.

Ura was having a hard time with her pregnancy, but Uba insisted that she should walk for a little less than half a morning, at least once a day. It was unthinkable for a woman of the clan to go walking around doing nothing, so Ura went gathering with her digging stick. Just as Brac was usually who went out with Ena, it was Durc who usually went out with Ura. The young deformed woman didn't go either too far or for too long, and used to ask the boy to "come with her to help". As an adult woman, she could order Durc around; but once they were out of sight, Ura made it clear that she wanted his protection more than his help. Her digging stick was, as most of her other possessions, carved with the sign of her totem. Many of Durc's tools and weapons were also carved with the boy's totem sign; that was a peculiarity they both shared. The young woman had taught the boy how to carve in exchange of his teaching her how to make fire from stones, but no one else had wanted to use carved tools; they were afraid of the mysterious power that those signs could have. Even Goov and Brac, who mastered the use of powerful signs and markings, were uncomfortable about casual, everyday use of signs; but no one thought about forbidding it, they all would rather act as if they didn't notice anything strange in Durc and Ura's utensils. The daily walk in the woods near the cave gave Ura the chance to talk to her future mate and to try to understand him better, but the young woman's un-clan-like independent spirit led her to try to make herself understood. But Durc was not ready to listen, he was worried, and a little scared of the responsibilities that lay in his future as probable leader, and Ura's un-clan-like ideas upset him. He was beginning to understand better, men like Grod and Crug. Things were easier if everything happened according to customs and traditions. That was always the safest way.

- But if everything happened, - argued Ura, - always according to customs and traditions, your Mama would have been left to die in the first place. She would have never been accepted into the clan, much less allowed to hunt. You and I would have never been allowed to live.

- You and I, Durc, - insisted the young woman, - have the obligation, more than anyone else, to look beyond the ancient customs and traditions and see what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong. I am sure you understand this.

Durc could not help but to admit she could be right, but it only upset him even more. Why did life have to be so complicated? Why was he listening to a mere woman, in the first place? Because he was just a boy, of course; but that would change soon, very soon.

Whenever he was not out with Ena, Brac was with Broud and the other young hunters, hunting or practicing with the flying spear. While there had not been any substantial improvement in their range, their accuracy with the new weapon was remarkable; and Broud was impatient to try it on real game, down there, in the prairie. All of the hunters had acquired some degree of skill with the flying spear, but it was the youngest hunters, and Broud, the ones to really master it. Their only problem was range.

Nevertheless, as soon as the spring gave way to summer, and the first large herd of herbivores came within sight from the cave, Broud asked Vorn to let him go and try to hunt them.

Both men stood face to face for a short while at the high lookout, surrounded by Grod and Brun, having spotted a herd of aurochs far away in the prairie. Both knew the unspoken implications of the former leader's request. Vorn exchanged looks with his two advisors only to find their opinions evenly divided; the decision was only his. But Vorn held himself for a man who kept his word; he somehow knew this was a mistake but he had made his mind, long ago.

- Alright Broud, - said Vorn, looking directly at his former friend and leader, - this will be the first hunt of the season, and it will be yours. Take all the hunters you want, providing they agree to go, and all the women you need. I will stay at the cave.

The herd of aurochs was not a big one, and the animals were edgy. Many cows had given birth in spring and the mating season, which came right after the birth season, was not over yet. Several bulls, young and old, attracted to the cows in heat, were continuously challenging each other, and the cows were very protective with their newborn calves. In addition to all that, the long winter and the presence of so many newborn babies combined to draw hungry predators to the small herd, which only made the animals edgier. This was not the best time to try a new, unfamiliar weapon, but Broud was decided.

Five hunters accompanied him. Goov almost never went hunting anymore and Grod had decided to stay at the cave with Vorn this time. Being the second-in-command, he would have to lead the hunt in the absence of the leader; but he was not comfortable with the new weapon and didn't want to lead this particular hunt. Crug, the next highest ranked hunter, decided not to go either; he didn't like the whole idea of the flying spears and had made his position known from the beginning. It was not for a clan hunter to decide to participate in a hunt or not, it was for the leader to choose who went and who stayed; but this one time Vorn had given his hunters freedom to decide, and Crug took advantage of that.

Borg, Brac and Groob, were the first to enthusiastically join the hunting party; they were young and inexperienced, but also eager and well prepared. Brun had wanted to go, to see with his own eyes the recovery of the only son of his hearth. Droog had also wanted to go, to witness the electivity of the new weapon; he was the acknowledged toolmaster of the clan, and had a professional interest in the new spear. They both were the oldest hunters of the clan, and already used to let the younger men take the initiative; so when the six clan hunters approached the aurochs herd, it was Broud who led the hunt.

Broud decided that only two animals were to be hunted. His plan was simple. They would approach the herd from downwind in two groups, Broud with Borg and Groob , and Brun with Droog and Brac, getting close enough to launch the spears; Broud would then select an animal, and Brun Droog and Brac, another. After Broud threw his spear, Borg and Groob would throw at the same animal; that would be the signal for the other three hunters to throw at their selected prey. Broud thought, and all of them agreed, that it was better if three hunters speared the same animal to ensure the kill.

But, as usually happens, things didn't go as planned. When Broud, who had selected a big young cow, was barely within range, the nervous cow spotted him and turned away, mooing a warning. Broud, seeing his prey escaping launched his spear, but it fell short. Borg and Groob ran as fast as they could and launched too, but the cow was already out of range and the herd was in the move; Borg's spear wounded the animal's hind quarters, but only superficially, while Groob's fell also short.

The other group of hunters did even worse. Seeing Broud run and launch before they got close enough, Brac ran towards the young cow they had selected trying to get within range before it began to run; Brun and Droog followed him, knowing it was already useless. But their actions called the attention of an old bull in his prime, who didn't like the small predators running too close to "his" cows and their young. He has old and experienced enough to recognize the men as dangerous deadly predators, and charged towards them. Brac, concentrated in his prey, did not see the bull coming, but Brun did. The old leader had seen death enough times not to recognize it, he cursed himself for not having been cautious enough to have a back-up weapon, not even his bola, but he was not about to let that bull kill the son of the son of his mate. Waving his arms and screaming to the top of his lungs, the old hunter managed to turn the charging bull's attention to him and threw his flying spear with all his strength. The weapon got the bull in the head, between the horns, but couldn't break the heavy cranium. The charging aurochs turned to his attacker and, before anyone could react, stabbed the old man amidst the chest with his pointed right horn.

Brac stood motionless while the bull threw Brun's body into the air and turned again to him; there was nothing he could do, he had already thrown his spear without success and was unarmed. But when he thought that his journey to the spirit world was about to begin, a spear came flying to wound the aurochs in the left shoulder. The spear fell to the ground, and the wound was far from mortal, but it made the big bull turn around and face his new attacker. Now unarmed, Droog turned to run away from the maddened animal, but it was useless; a few moments later, he was also gored by the raging bull. After finishing with his second victim, the old aurochs turned around to see several more humans screaming, running and throwing stones at him. He was wounded, the herd was already gone and he was beginning to feel tired; so he decided to get out of there and ran away in the wake of the fleeing herd.

Broud looked around to see the disastrous outcome of his hunting plan. Two hunters were dead, including the greatest clan leader of all times. True, the man was old, in fact it had been the two oldest hunters who died, and it was well known that hunting was always a dangerous affair. But the loss to the clan was huge and the fault was his; he was the one leading the hunt. Refusing to take the blame, and unable to find someone else to put the blame on, Broud stood motionless in front of his mother's mate dead body. It was Brac who reacted first and took charge of the situation.

- Borg! Go to the camp and bring Aga and Oda here, - said Brac with his best would-be-mog-ur tone, - tell them to bring water and several furs.

Uba had stayed at the cave with her mate, and Broud hadn't wanted Ena to come along; so they did not have a medicine woman, or even a trainee medicine woman, with them. But it was evident to all that both men were beyond any medicine woman's help. All that could be done was to prepare them to be carried back to the cave.

The cleaning and wrapping of the bodies was done by Brac with the proper ceremonies, then, after the women had collected and packed all of their belongings, the group began the long walk back home in a very dark mood. The bodies of the dead hunters were wrapped in furs and carried in turns by the men in their backs. Death was a mysterious spiritual affair dealt with by the most powerful clan spirits; women were thus not allowed to carry the body of a dead man, that was the duty, and the privilege, of his fellow hunters.

Once Brac began to issue orders, neither Borg, who was older and higher ranked, nor Broud, who was the oldest and most experienced, dared to challenge the authority of the young acolyte. Brac had the group walk into the night and did not stop until arriving to The Den well past midnight.

Nobody expected them to return that night, but when the surprise of their return was followed by the news of Brun and Droog's death, nobody was able to go back to sleep. The pain for the loss of their loved ones filled not only the deceased men's hearths but the whole clan.

Brac went straight to the sacred second chamber of the big cave, without saying a word, and was promptly followed by Goov. Nobody could enter there without the clan's magician's permission; not even Vorn, the leader. But Vorn was not about to be left without a proper report on the worst disgrace in his short leadership.

- Broud! - called the young leader - Come here now, I want to talk to you.

The clan was upset; for three days normal life was disrupted by the funerals of the greatest leader they remembered and the master toolmaker. Droog's status granted him a burial inside the cave, he had won the toolmaking contest, at the Clan Gatherings, every time he took part in it, and he had been a fine hunter in his time. But Brun's status granted him, not only a burial inside the cave, but many very special ceremonies that went on for three days. He was buried painted in red ochre with esoteric markings in yellow ochre, and all his personal tools and favored weapons were laid in his grave along with dried food for the journey, as was the custom. In addition to that, and to show his high status to the spirits, all the hunters of the clan laid their best weapon in the leader's grave and also added a personal token of kingship. All personal tokens were put in an amulet-like bag and hung of Brun's neck alongside his own amulet. Only a leader, like Brun, entered the spirit world with two amulets, the second one representing his ties to his clan and, through them, to the whole Clan. All the women and children offered a personal token too, but theirs were not put in an amulet, they were put in a red dyed woven basket and laid inside the grave.

A burial banquet was in order and a fresh kill was needed if it was to be a burial like the one Brun deserved; Crug was put in charge of that. Around noon, after the graves were closed and the funerary fires started, Crug went out with Borg and Groob, carrying only traditional Clan weapons, to look for a suitable prey in the mountain forest; before mid-afternoon they were back with a large wild boar, which the women expertly prepared and cooked on the funerary fire. Everyone participated in the last meal the clan would share with Brun and Droog. Late that night, the hunters entered the inner cave for their private ceremony, the first of five. In the following two days, another ceremony would be held every morning and every evening; this would ensure that the spirits were well aware of the high status of the man who was entering their world.

After receiving Broud's report, that fateful night, Vorn refused to speak to anyone until after the three days of mourning. In the fourth day, Vorn asked for a private meeting with his second-in-command and with the mog-ur; the three of them went inside the second chamber of the cave. While the leader was with his two advisors, another meeting took place by the riverbank right in front of the cave; Brac, Groob, Grev and Durc, gathered around a fire to talk about the last hunt and the new spear.

- It is all my fault, - said Durc, - it was I who convinced you to look for the Others in the first place.

- Crug was right, - said Groob, - nothing good can come from a weapon of the Others; if anyone had any doubt, the spirits had made it clear now.

- It was no one's fault, - said Brac, - Brun and Droog knew what they were doing. They died to save my life; it would be my fault in any case. Maybe it was Broud's fault for insisting in the hunt, maybe Vorn's for letting him, maybe all of ours for going along. Who can tell?

- You talk like a mog-ur already. - said Grev - Brun is dead, Droog is dead, and you are saying it is nobody's fault?

- That is just what I am saying, - said Brac, - and I am sorry if I look bad to you by saying it. Maybe it was a mistake we all made, out of enthusiasm, and we certainly proved Crug right, once we threw the spears we were defenseless.

- Do you think Vorn will ban the weapon?

- I am sure he will, - said Brac, - but it will be a mistake. It is not the weapon, Brun used to say, it is the hunter. If you went against a mammoth armed with a sling, and the mammoth killed you, whose fault would it be? Should the sling be banned then? The flying spear is a good weapon, we all have seen it work, we just have to learn to use it properly.

- We can't, - said Groob, - we don't throw as far as the Others no matter how strong we are, and we are stronger than them. That was the entire problem to begin with. If we had half again as much range as we have, we could have killed a couple cows before they knew what happened. We would also have had more time to escape or to grab another weapon, like a heavy spear, when the bull attacked. This is an Other's weapon; they can use it, we cannot.

- I think you are right, Groob, - said Brac, - but only in one thing; range. That is the entire problem, lack of range. And we have the remedy for that, don't we, Durc?

- Yes we do! - said Grev, turning to his milk brother - I mean, you do, don't you?

- No, we don't, - said Durc hastily, - I mean, I don't. Don't you think I have caused enough deaths?

- Maybe you did, - said Brac harshly, - by withholding a weapon that could have saved Brun's life! Don't you see it, Durc? Rec said that the spear thrower more than doubled his previous range as well as the force of his throws! And those were not mere words, he made a demonstration! Don't you remember? Think what it could mean!

- You are right, Brac, I had reasons for not wanting to use that spear thrower, but they were personal selfish reasons. What do you want me to do?

- Give the spear thrower to Groob, - said Brac, - he is our toolmaster now. I think Groob should make spear throwers for the four of us, Rec explained how to fit the size of the weapon to one's arm length, and then we should practice in secret. If the weapon is not good, no harm is done, but if, as I believe, it is good, then we show it to Vorn.

- I don't think it is a good idea, - said Groob, - wood and bone are not what I know best; I am a flint worker, that is what I am. And I am not master… anything; I was just learning, and now there is no one to teach me. Give it to Grev.

Groob's hurting heart over the death of the man of his hearth, was evident behind his words to Brac's observation skills. But Durc, despite his own remorse and doubts, could also see what was happening in his friend's soul. He was not the only one with remorse, realized Durc; Groob had been there, he had seen the man of his hearth die and he had not been able to help him. Brac was controlling his emotions so well that it would have made Brun proud but Durc could see through him too; it had been he whose life Brun was trying to save when he died.

Durc remembered Broud saying "Hunters die hunting, it happens all the time". But no hunter had died in a hunt led by Brun since he remembered, and neither while Vorn or Grod were leading the hunts. They all knew it could happen, Brun had made it clear to Durc several times, but it was up to a good leader to look for the safety of his hunters first, even at his own risk. Was it possible that Broud, the bravest, strongest and most courageous hunter of the clan, turned out to be a bad leader?

The boy had a vivid memory of a winter lesson with Brun, that one about Brooz and the rhino, he had doubted then if he really wanted the responsibility for other people's life in his hands. But it had been a hypothetical situation then, he never thought that someone he knew, someone he loved and admired, someone as wise as Brun, could actually die, so suddenly, just like that. Being a leader was a huge responsibility indeed, Uba, Grev, Brac… even himself, would live or die tomorrow as a consequence of the leader's decisions or the lack of them. Durc suddenly understood that, for a leader, as wrong as not paying close attention and careful consideration to his decisions, was to leave that decisions to someone not prepared to make them. Maybe he wasn't to be leader, maybe Grev was, but Durc was not ever going to consider again the possibility of avoiding such responsibility if it happened to fall on him. And he now had a clear idea about whose responsibility Brun and Droog's death was.

- I can give it a try, - said Grev, taking Durc out of his meditations, - if I make the spears I might as well make the spear throwers.

- We can work together, - said Durc, - Ura has taught me a lot about carving wood and bone. She is very good at it; too bad she is a woman, she would be very good at making the spear throwers.

Brac and Groob exchanged knowing glances, but it was understandable for Durc to acknowledge a woman to be more skilled than himself; Durc was, after all, just a boy.

It was well after noon when the boys came back to the cave, in time to see young Uma leaving the cave alone. Oda and Ura were standing at the entrance watching her go.

- What is wrong with Uma? - asked Durc - Where is she going? Why is she going alone?

- Don't worry about her, Durc, - said Oda, - Uma is a woman now.

The news of Uma's womanhood were a surprise for most, although Oda had been expecting it to occur at any moment and Uba had already noticed the changes occurring in the girl. Uma was too young for it, but Oda had been just that young when her own totem battled the first time, and Oda's sister, only a few moons older; Ura had matured at a more normal age, but not her younger sister. Uma was confined to her hearth until Vorn, Grod and Goov ended their meeting, and her mother used that time to explain what was expected from her; but when she actually had to take her traveling tent and leave the cave, after Goov and the leader were informed, the little girl was scared almost to death. In spite of that, prompted by her mother and her big sister, the young girl left the safety of her home, armed only with a fire making kit, a few furs, some food and the traveling tent. Only her mother would know where she camped, a place in the woods near a big rock by the river where Ena had once almost killed Durc with a stone, so she could visit her every other day to bring her food; but all men in the clan were given a general idea of the location of the new woman's camp, so they could avoid that area for the duration of the woman's curse.

Vorn had called for a general meeting, less the leaving new woman, and was pleased to see Brac, Groob and the boys coming into the cave before someone had to be sent looking for them.

- This year, - said the leader, once he had everyone's attention, - has begun with a very bad omen. The disastrous result of our first hunt shows clearly that the spirits are angry with us. Why is that so? What have we done to anger the spirits?

The hunters saw it coming, Vorn was about to blame the weapon from the Others. Crug, for one, was satisfied, although he would have preferred not to be proven right at that cost. Brac and the other youngsters were disappointed, even if they were expecting it.

- I must say that it is my fault, - continued Vorn surprising every single clan member, it was unprecedented for a leader to openly admit a mistake in public, much less in front of the women and children, - and it is my fault because I have neglected my duties as leader. A new, little known, weapon was to be tried for the first time in a real hunt; and even if Broud was once our best hunter, and either Brun or Droog were experienced enough to lead that hunt, it was my duty, as leader, to be there. Instead of that, neither I nor my second-in-command were there. And the price we have paid is too high, losing of Droog and Brun is more than what we could afford.

The pain showed in everybody's face, even Broud was surprised to find out just how much he loved, and missed, that insufferable stubborn old man.

- The Mog-ur tells me, - was saying Vorn, - that with the life of those two great men our debt to the spirits is paid, as long as we don't do anything to anger them again. So I have reached the following decision; never again will I delegate nor postpone my duties as leader. And that begins right now.

There are some decisions pending which are or the leader to make, - continued Vorn, talking to his silent clan – and I will not anger the spirits by postponing them any longer. The woman Ebra, and the girl she has adopted, need a man to provide for them; she and her daughter will go to live at the heart of the son of her son's mate until another arrangement is made. Brac, then, will set up his own hearth despite being unmated and Ebra will cook for him and tend to his hearth; unless Brac refuses.

A slight change in the set of Brac's jaws indicated that he was not refusing, and Ebra, followed by Ena, moved very inconspicuously, to position themselves behind the young man while the leader went on.

- My mother is, once again, without mate and burdened with child. She will move in with her son, Groob, since he only has his mate to provide for; unless, of course, my brother refuses her.

Groob was not about to refuse, not after Brac had accepted Ebra and Ena and after being reminded of his own condition as brother of the leader. He only hoped Igra would get along well with Aga.

- As for the flying spears, - said Vorn, - it is evident that the weapon is not safe enough for use with big game. I will not allow it to be used again except as a complementary weapon, like the bola, and never in a big hunt. For use in the woods and other small game, I will not forbid it; but no hunter will ever go hunting with only that weapon, not ever again.

That was a surprise for everyone, but the way Grod and Goov were looking at Vorn and Broud gave the explanation. Unless Broud was allowed to continue using the new weapon, he would not be able to provide for his pregnant mate and her two children, and someone would have had to take all of them in. Oda was a model clan woman who had produced three healthy children, two of them boys, and any man would have her as second woman, especially if the baby she was carrying turned out to be male. But, who would take Broud in? Brac, the only adult son of his hearth, was too young and had already accepted to provide for Ebra and Ena. Everyone agreed that not forbidding the new weapon was a wise decision.

- Finally, before ending this meeting, - said the leader, - I have one announcement to make; Grod is no longer the second-in-command. He has asked me to be relieved of this duty and, although I still consider him the best choice, I have accepted his decision. From now on, if he agrees, Crug will be my second-in-command.

There were nods of approval and congratulations to the experienced hunter, Grod had no heart for it since Uka's death, and it showed. But the leader was not through yet.

- And since we are now short of hunters, - ended Vorn looking directly at the older boys, - Crug's first duty will be to help me to prepare Grev and Durc for their manhood hunt before this summer is over. I know they are young for it, but they have been training with the best for some time now, and the clan desperately needs hunters. That will be all; Crug, come to my hearth, I have to talk to you in private.

After Vorn retired to his hearth, followed by Crug, the women began the rearrangement of the cave. Aga moved with her daughter and all of their possessions to her son's hearth, and Ebra moved with Ena to set up and arrange her grandson's hearth.

The disappearance of Brun and Droog's hearths more than doubled the size of the communal area under the smoke hole, since Brac had chosen to set up his hearth next to Groob's which in turn was next to Grod´s. That was just as well since, with so many women in the cave, the extra working space was much needed and very welcome. After a few days, life had returned to normal; that was the way of the Clan.

Training, for Durc and Grev, turned out to be intense and extenuating and included accompanying the hunters to observe from a safe place; both boys were severely warned that a disobedience like the one at the last mammoth hunt was not going to be tolerated no matter the outcome of it. The boys also stuck to their plan about the spear throwers, and soon had several examples of the strange implement made. Training in secret with Brac and Groob demanded even more of their time and effort; with all that, they were completely spent when, every night, went to their sleeping furs.

The clan went out hunting at least twice, and sometimes trice, a week, and Brac routinely searched every morning when they were not hunting. He became so good at it, and the clan so used to it, that sometimes Vorn wondered how could they have hunted, for so many years, without a searcher. And the advantage derived from Brac's incredible powers, resulted in a very highly efficient use of the clan's hunting resources. Therefore, despite having only five hunters, three of them too young and inexperienced, Vorn was managing to hunt enough meat to face the coming winter.

By the time when the heat began to drop, and the sun began to move south after having reached the most northern point of its yearly travels, Crug talked seriously to his leader.

- The boy, Grev, - said the second-in-command, - is ready for his manhood hunt. He still thinks, and sometimes acts, like a child; but he seems to be growing out of it. He is now much more disciplined, reasonably skilled and, physically speaking, ready for his manhood hunt. I wish he was, mentally, more prepared; but since we desperately need hunters, I'd be in favor of arranging a manhood hunt for him.

- And Durc, - asked Vorn, - what do you make of Durc?

- I don't mean to disrespect the leader, - said Crug, - I know you have put a great effort in training the boy; but would not be fulfilling my duty as second-in-command if I didn't tell you what I think. The boy is very well prepared and, mentally, even more so than Grev; he is more mature and it's been a long time since I've seen him act like a child. He is skilled too, not only more skilled than Grev but even more skilled than most of our younger hunters; but he is not physically ready, not yet. He is still too weak and, despite all the training and all his getting stronger every day, the truth is that he is not ready Vorn; and he will not be ready, not this summer, not this year. I am sorry, but we would be risking his life, and that of the other hunters, if we pushed him into manhood before his time; as second-in-command, that is my advice.

Vorn stayed quiet and silent for a while. Durc had changed a lot since Brun's death; he no longer acted like a boy and his unbelievable skill at everything he and Crug taught him, had given Vorn high hopes. But he had to agree with his second-in-command; the boy was still just a boy, and it would do nobody any good to push him forward too soon. At least he would have one more hunter before the season was over. Crug was a good second-in-command, it had been wise to raise him to that position; and he could still count with Grod as an advisor.

Grev's manhood hunt was very simple, fast and uneventful. Brac found a herd of horses and the hunters managed to kill an old mare. Grev was the first to spear it, and Crug only finished the job with his club. Grev's manhood ceremony was meaningful and memorable for the young hunter and his friends, as well as for his mother and her proud mate. But the young hunter had not the time to dwell on those nice feelings for too long, for the very next day he was out with all the other hunters chasing after a herd of reindeer. Life went on for Vorn's clan.

- Whom do you think, - asked Uma, - is Vorn going to give me to?

The two sisters were with Ena on the big rock by the river which they referred to as Wolf's Rock, in an indirect reference to Ena's incident with Durc a year earlier. The place had become a known landmark and was a favorite spot for the young women to rest by the river.

- It can only be Brac or Grev, - said Ura, who was reaching the end of her difficult pregnancy and only left the cave accompanied either by Uba or by Ena, - and I'd say it will be Brac; he has been a man for a long time now, he's waited long enough to mate already.

- Do you think so? - said Uma enthusiastic - Brac is so handsome, and he is going to be mog-ur. I once saw Goov telling Brun that he is going to be The Mog-ur one day. Just as powerful as Mog-ur-one-eye.

- It is not a game to be mated to a mog-ur, - said Ena, - it is very hard, and very lonely. You both live at Mog-ur's hearth, you should know; look at Ovra, she is always sad and worried.

- I don't care, - said Uma, - Ovra just doesn't appreciate what she has; Oda is very happy living with Mog-ur, we all are, we have lots of furs and food. Being mated to Mog-ur is like if all the hunters of the clan were your mates; they all give us Mog-ur's share of everything they hunt. I will be very happy mated to Brac.

- Happiness is not only food and furs, - said Ena, - and you better don't make plans yet, Vorn could give you to Grev.

- Too bad Durc didn't make his manhood hunt, - said Ura, sensing the tension between her friend and her sister and changing the subject, - we could have been mated in the same ceremony. That would have been nice, but now my baby is going to be unlucky. Oouch!

Ura's face clouded with a grimace of pain. Ena helped her to find a more comfortable position and examined her friend to make sure it was not time yet. It wasn't, but it would be soon; any day now.

- Your baby doesn't have to be unlucky, - said Ena, caressing her friend's forehead, - and Durc is not unlucky. He is going to mate you next year, he is very lucky for that, and he is going to be the next leader. Your baby, if he is a boy, is going to be leader too; that is hardly unlucky.

- Vorn might decide to give you to Grev, - said Uma, - to make sure your baby is not unlucky. We might still get to be mated in the same ceremony if he does.

- Or he might give you to Brac, - said Ena, - he seems to get along well with you.

If Uma could kill with her gaze, Ena would have fallen dead right there and then.

The four young friends, Brac, Groob, Grev and Durc had spent the whole morning practicing with the spear throwers. Although Durc had found pretty quickly his own style and was very good with the strange device, it had taken some time, and many modifications to the thrower, to adapt it to the physical characteristics of his clan friends. Despite Brac being one of the wisest young men in the clan, despite Groob's skill at toolmaking, and Grev's at wood working, none of them could have ever managed to devise the necessary modifications to the new weapon. It had been Durc's ingenuity, and natural curiosity, combined with his fertile imagination and his observation skills, which had allowed him to accomplish a feat impossible for any clan person; the evolution of a new weapon according to the anatomic requirements of the intended users.

It hadn't been easy, but all the work and all the effort proved worthwhile; the throwing technique of the young clan hunters differed radically from that of Rec's but it was nonetheless effective. They did not made the high overhand casts that only Durc could imitate, but their almost horizontal swings still benefited from the leverage of the thrower that actually increased the effective length of their arms; and their musculature, massive by Other's standards, compensated the lack of mobility. Their range with the spear thrower, even if it could not compare with what Rec had demonstrated, exceeded by far what they had seen the Others do without it. They were now ready, and eager, to show their skill to the leader and the other hunters. But that would have to wait; Brac said it was not the proper time yet. He said he still had to look at the sun, the moon and the stars, and that he had to consult with the spirits, to know the proper time. Durc suspected that Brac just didn't want Broud to learn of the new weapon in time to practice this summer.

- What is it like to be mated, Groob? - asked Grev - I mean, with a mate and all that.

- Why do you ask? - retorted Groob, - Are you afraid of Uma? Uuumaaa! Uuuuumaaaaa!

- Vorn will give Uma to Brac here, - said Grev, - he has been a man for a long time already. Of course, I wouldn't mind if he gave her to me.

- Uma is very beautiful, - said Durc, smiling like only he did and looking at Groob - at least Igra seems to think so.

- Well, she doesn't seem to like Uma, I don't understand why, - said Groob, - she doesn't even talk to her unless it is absolutely necessary. I just don't understand women. I will tell you this Grev, women don't make sense. Igra doesn't make sense... well... she doesn't even make babies.

- You have to be patient, Groob, - said Brac, - Igra is still young. When she gets older, her totem will get tired of fighting every moon and will be defeated. It is just a matter of time.

- And it is a good thing too, - said Durc, - Uba says that it is not good for a woman to have babies too soon. She lost her first baby, and she lost one of her second babies too.

- What does she say about Ura? - asked Brac, worried, - she is younger than Igra. Will she lose her baby?

- Uba doesn't like to talk about her magic, - said Durc, - but anyone can see Ura's totem is fighting very hard. Who knows, it could better this way; it could solve a big problem for Vorn. He expected me to become a man in time to mate her, I feel like I failed him, her too.

- It is not your fault, Durc, - said Brac, - you cannot help not being older than you are. Maybe you are right; maybe it is better this way, only Ursus knows. Did you really want to mate Ura this summer?

- I think so, - said Durc, - I'm not sure; she is strange and yes, she is ugly, but she will make a good mate. She is hardworking and very skilled, even intelligent for a woman, and our mating has been arranged since we were babies. A woman is, after all, just a woman; she'll do just fine. I just wish her baby is not unlucky; she seems to worry a lot about that.

- All mothers do; - said Brac, - well, let's go back to the cave.

- No, it is not well, - said Grev while the four youngsters headed home, - not well at all. I still want to know what is it like to be mated.

- Uuumaaa! Uuumaaa! Uuumaaa! - chanted the other three friends at Grev, while walking back to the cave.

Upon getting back home, Brac quietly asked Durc to come with him to the second cave after lunch.

- I wanted to talk with you about Ura, - said Brac, once they were alone, - I know Vorn is not risking her baby to be unlucky; he fears the bad luck could reach Uba's baby, and she has lost two babies already.

- How do you know? What is he planning to do?

- I know because he has been talking a lot about that with Mog-ur, - said Brac, - and I have an idea of what he is planning. He won't want to burden any of his hunters with a deformed woman, so he will probably take her as a second woman. It really is his duty as leader, and he is being very meticulous about his duties lately.

- With another woman and two new babies coming, - said Durc, - the hearth will get somewhat crowded.

- That is the least important thing, - said Brac, - the most important is status. Being second woman, even at the leader's hearth, will make Ura lose status; and even if he later gave her away so you can mate her when you become a man, it will not be good for any of you. You would be taking a low status woman that some other man gave away, that is not what is expected of a future leader.

- It can't be helped, - said Durc, - Vorn is the leader and can do whatever he wants. He doesn't have many choices either.

- I could ask for her, - said Brac, - I am a hunter and it is my right, and I think Vorn would be relieved if I did. The problem is that, if I ever mated her, I would never give her away; that means she would never be your mate. So I won't do it unless you agree.

- Are you asking me, Brac? You are a man, I am only a boy! You don't have to ask me!

- You are my friend, - said Brac, - and one day you will be my leader. Besides, you will be a man anytime soon.

- Why do you want to mate an ugly deformed woman? You could have Uma if you wanted her; she is the most beautiful woman around.

- I don't want Uma, - explained Brac, - for the same reason I didn't want Igra. And I don't think Ura is deformed; Ayla believed that she was a mixture, part Clan and part Others just like you, and now I know that she was right. I cannot fully explain it to you now, but I know it is true.

Durc's head movement indicated that he was meditating carefully what Brac had just said, as well as what he was going to answer.

- And I don't think she is really ugly, - continued Brac, - she looks strange, different; but I grew up used to see you, and I learned to see the real person behind the face. Ura fascinates me, Ena too; they are so different from us, not only in the way they look, but mostly in the way they think. That is how I know Ayla was right; you have a weird way of thinking too, my friend.

- Well, a woman is just a woman; - said Durc, - if you want her, it is alright by me. And you are right about their weird way of thinking, Ena fascinates me too. She is fully Others; you might find her even more interesting than Ura.

- Thank-you but no, - said Brac, more relaxed now that Durc had agreed, - Ena is much too weird for me. She might be alright for you though; you are half as weird as she is, so you already have a head start. She has a nice wolverine hood she uses even when it is not winter, and I've seen you playing mates with her; although not recently. Something wrong happened?

- No, well, yes, I don't know. I think I hurt her, I don't think she will want to play with me after that. - Durc stayed pensively quiet for a few moments - Brac, you have been a man for some time now. Can I ask you something? Something personal?

- Of course, Durc. You can ask anything

The young hunter and the boy talked in private for a long time and, later, when Durc went back to his hearth, he had a strange mix of feelings; a little sense of loss, a little relief, a little surprise, but, most of all, a vast peace of mind.

Brac talked to his mentor that evening, and Goov talked to Vorn. Both men argued for a short time but, at the end, Vorn let himself be convinced. At first light the next morning, the clan gathered outside the cave summoned by their leader.

- There are two unmated women in this clan, - said Vorn while Goov was coming out of the cave in full ceremonial outfit, - and two unmated hunters. I have decided to give the woman Ura to Brac as his mate, and the woman Uma to Grev. Mog-ur will perform the ceremonies now.

Brac and Ura's isolation period was cut short by the arrival of Ura's son. The young woman began labor one mid-afternoon just a few days after her mating, and it went through the night and the next morning. Uba and Ena stayed with Brac's mate working hard to protect her life as well as her baby's. Labor was long and hard, and there was a moment when Uba though she was going to lose both mother and child. Ena was frantic, as Uba mercilessly pressed her.

- Pay attention! Do you really understand what you are doing? - the medicine woman was hard on her trainee - Check her heartbeat! Check her breathing! Alright now, put your hands here, feel the baby, you will help me push it into position. Not now! Wait until I tell you!

Ena was trying to do her best; not only was she decided not to let Uba down, but she was really concerned about her friend.

- Listen Ena, - said Uba, - I need you to concentrate in what you are doing. Forget she is your friend, forget she is Ura; she is just a patient with a difficult delivery. Focus! Very soon you will have to take care of me, and I need you to be ready; if I have problems with my baby you will be on your own and my life will be in your hands. Now, breathe deep and focus.

Of course Uba could take care of herself during her coming delivery, unless things went really really wrong, and Ena would not be enough help if they did. But the girl was almost ready; she already knew more than many medicine women Uba knew off, all she needed now was experience, to learn to keep his mind clear in a crisis, to maintain control under pressure. It did not occur to Uba that she might be pushing the girl too hard; she was very proud of her pupil, and very confident in her capacity to withstand pressure.

The thought of being in charge of Uba's delivery chilled the bones of the young girl, and she knew it could very well happen. Reaching deep inside herself for strength Ena breathed hard, closed her eyes and concentrated in her hands feeling the baby inside Ura's womb.

Around noon, a loud cry announced the new life. Uba let Ena help Ura with the afterbirth while she occupied herself with the baby. As she had expected, the boy was deformed. He was strong, had two good legs and two good arms with all his fingers in place; but he had trouble holding his own head and the head itself was unmistakably misshapen. Still, he was not as deformed as Durc had been, and he looked otherwise healthy and strong. After finishing cleaning the baby, Uba went to check Ura and was very pleased with Ena's work; she then gave the newborn baby to her mother and went to inform Vorn.

- This medicine woman is pleased to inform, - said Uba, - that Brac's mate has given birth to a boy. Ura and her son are both well and ready for the leader to inspect the baby.

- Is the baby… - Vorn doubted for a moment - normal?

- The baby is deformed, - said Ura, without looking at her mate, - but not nearly as much as Durc was; and his neck is much stronger than Durc's when he was born. The baby is otherwise healthy and strong.

- Wait for me there, - said Vorn, - I will be going soon.

Vorn exchanged looks across the cave with Mog-ur, who was having lunch at his hearth with Brac, and the three men stood up and walked slowly to Brac's hearth. After inspecting the baby Vorn was still doubtful; a deformed baby was considered bad luck but this particular deformity didn't seem to be a big problem, at least not for Durc, and the baby was male. Vorn wasn't eager to lose a future hunter, but he didn't want to anger the spirits by allowing a deformed baby to live either. There was a third option, allowed by ancient traditions and Vorn turned his gaze to Brac, the woman's mate, the future mog-ur.

- This is the first son of my hearth, - said Brac, displaying much more calm than he really felt, - and he is a strong, healthy, baby boy. As the mother's mate, it is my right to plead for his life. Vorn, I am begging you; give the first son of my mate a chance to live.

- Any man has the right, - said Vorn, very ceremoniously, - to plead for the life of a deformed baby born to his mate. It is allowed by ancient tradition, and it has produced good results for the clan in the past. It is thanks to this tradition that Creb lived to become the greatest Mog-ur ever. So I will allow this baby to remain with his mother; if he lives until the naming day, he will be accepted.

The hunters were out for the day, and Ena had gone out looking for plants and roots for Uba; Durc was accompanying her, for protection. Although Durc had not been considered ready for his manhood hunt, he was now considered perfectly capable of protecting the women when they went gathering near the cave. The two children were all dirty from crawling under the bushes in search for the magical plants, and decided to stop by the river to bathe. Ayla had been teaching Durc to swim, before she left, and even if the boy was not nearly as good as his mother, his moderated skill astounded Ena.

- You can swim like a fish! - exclaimed the girl - You would never drown in a river! Can anyone do that?

- No, - said Durc, - nobody else can. Mama taught me, and she was so much better than I am; she once swam far away into the sea and saved Ona, who had drowned, that is why Ona's little sister was named after her.

- Can you teach me?

- I can try, but I don't know if you can learn. Brac and Grev tried, when we were much younger, but they cannot float; they sink to the bottom like stones.

- I want to try, - said Ena, - if you would teach me...

After an hour with Durc teaching Ena the fundaments, and finding that she floated much better than him, both children went out of the river and lay on the riverbank under the sun to rest and dry.

- What do you think of baby Rec? - asked Durc.

- I am not sure, but he looks just fine to me, - said Ena, - he is very strong and healthy, save for his weak neck and his head that resembles yours. But Ura says that your neck was even weaker and Ura's too, she said you couldn't even hold your head up; Rec can hold his head up, it costs him some effort, but he can. Vorn is not very happy, though, with the name Brac chose.

Durc was not comfortable speaking with a girl about serious male things, like the reasons behind the naming of babies, but Brac had told him to try talking to her like if she was a boy. "You'll be surprised to find how intelligent she is" had said the acolyte.

- Brac says that he is not deformed, - said Durc - neither am I nor is Ura. He says we are part Clan and part Others, although Rec seems to be more Clan than Others.

- That is just what your Mama used to say. - said Ena - Isn't that? I remember you telling me that last year, when... Oh! I am so sorry. You still have that scar. I am so embarrassed!

- Don't worry, it is hardly noticeable. Anyway, that is why Brac chose that name; it is the only name of the Others that we know off.

- Oh, but you know of another name of the Others. - said Ena, - Jondar! Your Mama's new mate!

- Yes, Jondar; the man who took my mother away. But we don't like that name, we don't want to remember that name.

- But your Mama wanted to go with him, she must like him very much, she must be happy with him. Don't you want your Mama to be happy? Maybe she was very unhappy with the clan, I was very unhappy with my first clan. Everyone should be happy, - argued Ena forcefully, - everyone deserves to be happy. I'd be happy for her if she was my mother. I'd be so happy just to know my mother was alive, even if I never saw her.

Durc though a lot about Ena's words, she was very insightful, very wise, Brac was right about her. He remembered also a conversation with Ura about clan traditions and a leader's responsibilities. Not a womanly subject either. Those two women were very special; Brac was so very right about them.

Uba's labor began that very night, just when she was working in the megaceros the hunters had killed; earlier that evening she and Ena had been treating the hunters injured by the massive antlers of the giant deer. Aga and Ebra came to Vorn's hearth to assist the medicine woman, but, at Uba's suggestion, they let Ena do most of the work. Uba's labor was short and easy, and, before dawn, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Ena tended the baby, and helped Uba with the afterbirth, but, after the three women congratulated the girl for her excellent work, it was Aga who went to inform Vorn.

Standing alone, at the lookout, Vorn meditated about the whole past year; the loss of Brun still weighed heavily on his conscience and it made him try even harder. The old leader had trusted him to lead his clan in lieu of the son of his mate; and he felt that, somehow, he had to live up to that trust. He had angered the spirits and they had taken Brun and Droog, he would never let that happen again. Were the spirits not angry anymore? Was he wrong allowing Ura's son to live? Would the spirits get angry with them again for giving the boy a non-Clan name? The spirits did not seem to be too angry, anyway; Uba's pregnancy had, for the first time, a happy ending, and, even if she was not lucky enough to have a boy, a girl would carry on with her line of medicine women. Uba's line was the most ancient and distinguished of all, and Vorn had wanted the baby's name to honor that, to please the spirits. He also had wanted to please his mate; she was a model clan woman, the best of all medicine women, and the best mate a leader could have. It was not easy to be the leader's mate; it was even less easy to be both medicine woman and leader's mate. Vorn had wanted a name to please both his mate and the spirits, and had ended up mixing two names in one, he only hoped the spirits would approve.

The hunting season was almost over and, as a result of the loss of Brun and Droog, the clan had barely managed to store enough food for the winter. Around the time when the mammoths migrate south in the fall, and when it seemed then that they were not going to get enough meat to survive the cold season, Borg proposed a mammoth hunt. But Vorn did not accept the young man's suggestion; he felt that he had too few experienced hunters, and too many young and inexperienced ones. A mammoth hunt was too risky, in many ways; it would take at least a full moon, maybe two, and they might not find mammoth or fail to kill one. Even worse, they could lose a hunter or more than one. Vorn felt, and Crug agreed, that it was better to increase the efforts in the prairies nearby the cave. It was harder but less risky, and it would help the younger hunters to gain the much needed experience; even next year, and the year after that, said Grod when asked, would be too soon for mammoth. The decision proved wise in the end, and the young hunters responded to the leader's demands. The clan would not starve this winter, and the season was not over yet.

Although she frequently went out of the cave with Durc, with the excuse of looking for medicine plants, Ena spent most of her time between Brac's hearth, where she lived, and Vorn's hearth, where she trained under Uba. When at Brac's hearth, she was glued to Ura's baby, while when at Vorn's hearth, she could not take her eyes away from little Ila. The differences between the two babies caught most of her interest, not only because they were boy and girl, but because they were one mixed and the other pure Clan. Ena had decided that Ayla and Brac were right. It was evident for her now that some Other's spirits were part of Durc, Ura and Rec; how and why the spirits mixed was a recurrent theme in her conversations with Ura, Brac and Durc.

- If a man's totem overcomes a woman's, - explained Brac, - the baby is supposed to look like him.

- But in the case of Durc, - said Ena, - he looks a little like his Mama.

- That is because she had a strong hunting totem, - said the acolyte, - when you have children, they too will probably look a little like you.

Ena looked at Rec, sleeping in her arms while Ura was cooking, and tried to imagine her face in the little boy; she had seen her own ugly face in the pool by the river and had an idea of her own looks. "When you have children", had said the handsome and wise mate of her best friend, not "If you have children"; Durc had assured her the same thing, and she desperately clung to that thought. She had to assume now that she would eventually be given to Durc as his mate, he had no one else to mate anyway, and, if it was his totem the one that defeated hers, she knew somehow that her babies would be more Others than Clan. Closing her eyes the pale girl day dreamed of a baby of her own, many babies of her own; some with her face, some with Durc's face, some with faces somewhere in between.

- But, Brac, - said Ena suddenly startled by a thought, - Oda doesn't have a male totem. Why doesn't Ura look like the man of the Others whose totem overcame Oda's?

- I am not sure, - said Brac, pensively, - I still have to meditate about it.

- You said that you saw men of the Others doing women's chores, - said Ena enthusiastic about a new idea, - and women of the Others doing men's jobs; also Rec said that women of the Others can chose their mates and be leaders. Maybe all women of the Others have strong totems, and their men weak totems; that might be the reason why Oda's totem had a part in Ura!

- That is nonsense! - said Brac worried that Ena could be too close to knowledge reserved for men, even reserved for mog-urs - How could his totem overcome Oda's in such a short time if it was weak? She was only a few moments close to the men of the Others. Their totems must be very strong. But what does a female, a girl not even a woman, know about totem spirits?

- I am sorry Brac, - said Ena, looking contrite, - this girl was presumptuous; this girl knows nothing about totem spirits.

But Ena was not all that sorry, she knew she was close to the truth, she might talk again about this subject, maybe with Durc, maybe next time they went swimming; she was far too interested to drop the matter and she knew Durc would listen to her, Durc always listened to her lately. Brac was more afraid than angry, he could feel that Ena was in the right path, but he was afraid of the consequences of sharing highly esoteric knowledge with a female. Maybe he would discuss those new ideas with Goov, after all the mog-ur shared his belief about Durc and Ura's "deformity", but Brac would never admit those were Ena's ideas, at least not with Mog-ur.

The day before the first snowfall covered the landscape with a thin layer of white, Goov announced the end of the warm season and the beginning of winter; for the members of the Clan, it was a demonstration of very powerful magic, as if the snow had been waiting for Mog-ur's permission to fall. It had been seven days since the hunters had gone hunting and, despite searching every other day Brac hadn't been able to find herds close enough to the cave to be worth a try, so the snow was taken as a signal to settle for the winter.

There was only one loose end that Vorn wanted to tie before the cold season began, and it was Grod; the old hunter had been without a mate for the whole year, since Uka had passed during the last winter. At the beginning it hadnt been a real problem, since Grod spent most of his time with Brun and Ebra cooked for both of them. But since Brun's untimely death Grod had started to spend more and more time with Mog-ur, who had two mates, and it was Oda who took care of most of the former second-in-command's domestic needs. Such situation was unacceptable for a hunter of Grod's status, so Vorn talked with him and he agreed to take Aga. It was not a decision to be taken lightly, it involved assuming the responsibility for a young girl who was still three or four years away from becoming a woman; but Aga was a respected woman of the Clan and mother of four, including the leader. Goov performed the ceremony and Aga moved with Ayla into Grod's hearth to begin the isolation period. For Aga it was the second time, in the same year, that she had to move with her daughter to a new hearth, but she was grateful for the time spent with her son; it had given her the time to adjust to Droog's death, and it had lasted just enough for her to begin not getting along with her son's mate. She was grateful too for not having to spend the winter with Igra, and she felt confident to learn to get along with Grod just fine.

Winter was short, especially compared with the previous one, boring and uneventful. Ura was dedicated to her new mate and son, and did not have much time to discuss her un-clan-like ideas with her friend, Ena. The girl of the Others, on her part, dedicated most of her time to help Uba; early winter was the best season for some complicated magical medicine preparations, since there was enough free time and the various winter sicknesses hadn't hit the clan yet. Later in the season, the only development was the continuously deteriorating health of Ebra; the old woman seemed unable to overcome the loss of her mate. But living at Brac's hearth was helpful; not only was Ena able to look closely after her, but little Rec, with his baby antics, distracted Ebra from the pain of her loss. By the end of winter, when the snow began to melt and the warming days announced the spring was coming, something else happened that renewed the old woman's interest in life; her adopted daughter began to show the unmistakable signs of approaching womanhood.

Spring came and it turned impossible for Brac to delay any longer the demonstration of the spear thrower before Vorn and the other hunters of the clan. As expected, Crug and Grod were reluctant to accept the new weapon, while Brac, Groob and Grev were eager to use it. Borg, who was now trying to be included among the "experienced" hunters, was waiting to see Vorn's reaction before committing his opinion. But no one was more enthusiastic than Broud; the former leader saw in the new implement his chance to return to regular hunting. Seeing that only two of his hunters clearly opposed the spear thrower, and feeling that, somehow, he owed Broud the chance to recover his hunter status, Vorn allowed its use by any hunter at will. Not wanting to repeat the mistake that cost him the life of Brun and Droog, the leader decided to train with the spear thrower himself, and ordered his second-in-command to do the same.

- I want you to learn firsthand, - said the leader to Crug, - the advantages and disadvantages of this new weapon. If after learning its use you still disapprove it, I will want to hear your reasons. But I don't want you to hand out opinions about a weapon you don't know.

Crug admitted, with disgust, that Vorn was right. His dislike was based more on superstition than in actual knowledge, so he agreed to first learn as much as possible before honestly deciding on an advice to his leader. Grod, in the other hand, was glad not to be second-in-command anymore. He just did not want anything to do with the flying spears that cost the life of his dearest friend.

As the days warmed and the spring covered the land with infinite flowers of all colors, Ena was out again in her endless search for medical supplies. Flowers in spring, leaves and stems in summer, roots in autumn; every season had its own treasure to offer to the avid hands of the clan medicine women. As it had been last summer, it was Durc who usually accompanied Ena to help and protect her. And, as it had been last summer, they always ended up talking at length about all sort of themes, some very inappropriate for boys like Durc, some very inappropriate for girls like Ena.

Unconsciously, in the intimacy of their private conversations, the natural, but very un-clan-like, curiosity of both youngsters led them to break through the gender related barriers of clan traditions. It had begun with Brac encouraging Durc to overlook Ena's female condition when talking to her; but the acolyte could have never imagined the extremes to which Durc and Ena would take his advice. Hunting lore, medical lore, tracking, cooking; every single little piece of knowledge was being slowly shared by the two. And, of course, swimming; swimming was something only they did, their private secret game, the one thing they shared only with the absent Ayla and the vehicle Ena used to reconcile Durc with the memory of his Mama.

One particularly warm spring day, after swimming for a couple hours in their favorite pool by a river's bend, Durc and Ena lay naked, side by side on the river beach under the sun, while the boy talked about the wolf pack that shared the clan's territory. Durc had promised Ena to take her to the wolf's nursery when the time was right, which would be about half a moon later. Warmed by the gentle spring sun, Ena dozed off while Durc talked about the mother wolf, now hiding in a den with her puppies, waiting for the time when she would take them to the leader of the pack to see if they were acceptable.

- Just like it is with clan babies, but as if the leader waited until the naming day to decide if a baby is acceptable or not, - said Durc, - except that the wolves wait more days than we do.

Just then Durc noticed Ena was not listening. Looking, or rather staring, at the long, pale, naked girl lying next to him, Durc wondered what was so ugly about her; he could find nothing. She was not all that ugly, Brac was right there; she was just different, like Mama. Durc closed his eyes and pictured Mama as he remembered her, with her long straight legs just like Ena's, her high forehead, her flat face and her chin, just like Ena. But Mama had long hair the color of the sun where Ena's hair was of a shiny raven black; and Mama's eyes were the color of the sky, while he knew that, behind those closed eyelids, Ena's were of the most amazingly vivid green eyes. And Durc felt drawn to those eyes, like a moth to the fire. Ena was nothing like Mama, thought Durc, apart from the fact that they were both Others. Mama was not only beautiful, she was a mighty all-powerful goddess; Ena was delicate as a flower, vulnerable as a butterfly, and, for him, the most attractive girl in the world. Turning towards her, Durc closed on her face, seeking to smell her breathe, her hair, her neck. He didn't know what to do with the strong feelings she provoked on him; he had to do something, he just didn't know what. Closing his eyes he wished his totem could tell him, and then, without actually thinking, he leaned towards her and gently licked her ear.

- What...! What... you... doing! – said Ena, pushing Durc's chest up with one arm, talking with only the other hand.

- I... Gray Wolf, - said Durc, also with one hand while supporting his own weight with the other, - Wolf does this to lead female, Wolf likes it... she likes it...

And slowly forcing his weight down, he returned to lick Ena's face, following the line of her jaw from her ear to her chin

Ena was startled, her whole body trembled. Why was Durc playing Wolves with her? Why was her own body reacting like this? She didn't know what to think or what to do; she just knew she didn't want him to stop. So the female wolf liked it? Well, she could fully understand the female wolf.

Raising her arms, she put her hands behind Durc's head and, closing her eyes, arched her head backwards baring her long, long neck to him and pulling his head to it. Durc rolled to lie on top of her, sending shivers throughout all of her body, her naked skin burned wherever it touched his and her stomach felt full of butterflies. With a hunger she never knew of before, Ena tried to take Durc's jaw in her mouth and, as he tried to do the same, they ended up licking each other's mouth and tongue. She could feel his manhood getting full and hard. What was he doing? He could not give her the signal; she wasn't a woman yet and neither was he a man. They hadn't been playing mates for a long time now, and this was nothing like the proper position either.

Ena thought she knew everything about men and their needs; Ebra had explained it to her at the first sign of her approaching womanhood. Uba too had talked with her at length on the subject, but no one had told her anything about the need she was feeling right now. She was all wet down there in the place where men relieved their need, and when Durc's full member moved between her legs, she instinctively wrapped them around him. Ena remembered and feared the pain and the blood of their first time, but she was beyond control now; as soon as she felt him entering, she threw her arms around his back pulling him hard with arms and legs, pushing him all the way in. There was pain, but it was hardly noticeable, it was nothing compared with the hunger, her hunger for him. As Durc moved in and out of her they frantically bit each other's jaw, endlessly licked each other's mouth, fiercely pulled each other together. And, once it was over, they stayed glued together, seemly forever.

It was Ena who first began to move, gently caressing Durc's hair, Durc's face, Durc's...

- Durc! Oh Great Cave Bear, your face is full of blood! My hands are full of blood!

Ena forcefully pushed Durc off and examined her bloody hands; there was nothing wrong with her hands, there was nothing wrong with Durc's face either. Sitting up to examine him, she found out what she had just done.

- Your back! Oh Durc, your back is horribly scratched! What have I done! Vorn is going to curse me!

Without any of them noticing, Ena had sunk her nails deep in Durc's back, repeatedly, all over it. Durc's skin was severely and extensively damaged, the wounds were deep, and bound to leave lasting scars. Ena was crushed beyond description, her eyes flooded with tears as she curled in the ground covering her face with both her hands. Durc went to her, forced her seated and forced her hands off her face.

- Listen to me Ena! - said Durc - This is nothing! You can treat my back yourself, right here and right now, before we return to the cave. It is nothing, it doesn't even hurt! Everything is going to be just fine, everything is just fine already!

- Nothing is fine, - said Ena crying, - you are going to have nasty scars all over your back, and everyone is going to know how bad I am.

- You are not bad, - said Durc, after licking off the tears from her face, - you are wonderful. You just have chosen me, tested and marked me; and if you find me worthy, I am going to claim you as my personal totem. The scars on my back will be the mark of my new totem and I will proudly wear them. Do you find me worthy? Do you, Ena?

Sitting both on the ground next to each other, Ena sunk her face in his chest crying her eyes out as he gently held her in his arms. She was not about to answer that, she just couldn't. All she could think on, right then, was on Durc's words. He was going to claim her. HE was going to claim HER!

Durc stayed in the cave the following few days while his back healed, but refused to tell how he had got wounded insisting that it was nothing, that he was alright, and that Ena's treatment had been more than enough. On the verge of manhood, his stubborn refusal was taken as a sign of courage and manliness, so nobody insisted too much. Uba, of course, questioned Ena, but she also refused to talk; "the hunter does not want to tell" was all she said. But the medicine woman had a pretty clear idea of what had really happened. The spacing and the shape of the scratches on Durc's back spoke to her more clearly than any amount of words would; and the soreness in Ena's private parts, plus her general attitude, told her the rest of the story. But neither of the two children was seriously hurt, so if they did not want to tell, fine! They would both be adults and mated, anyway, before the summer was over; maybe it was best to leave it at that. Still, the medicine woman in Uba insisted in stressing to Ena the importance of hygiene in general and specially when it came to relieving men's needs; "soon you will be a medicine woman and you have to know this by heart" said the medicine woman looking knowingly at her trainee. Iza's obsession for cleanliness had been transmitted to Uba as well as to Ayla; and now was being transmitted to Ena as soon would be to Ila.

Things had changed a lot for Ena since that day at the river bend. She spent her days all dreamy and distracted; so much that Uba had to reprimand her, once, for not paying attention while mixing medical preparations. But she could not help it, she was completely unprepared to deal with all the strange new feelings and emotions that now flooded her complex mind. It was one thing to know that she was going to mate Durc because there was no other woman available, and quite another to feel herself wanted, to know that she was desirable, and to discover that she actually wanted the man who wanted her. And he was not just any man, he was the tallest and the fastest, the bravest and the wisest, and yet the sweetest and the most understanding of all men. And he wanted her, he was going to claim her, he would see to it that she would never be sad again, or shamed, or in danger; not ever again. He had told her so, and she had believed him.

It was not long before Durc asked Ena when was she going out for medicine plants again, and if she wanted to go swimming. Ena had wanted to go, she even hinted that maybe the wolf puppies were already in their nursery, and that maybe they could play wolves again if they weren't; but that was not going to happen. Before they could plan an outing, Ena's totem battled for the first time and she had to go out alone for her woman's curse. Ura and Uma spent the last morning with Ena deep immersed in girl's talk. Uma was particularly helpful with details about where she could camp and what she could do during the long days she would have to spend alone. Uma convinced Oda to assume the role of mother and visit Ena every other day, since Ebra, her stepmother, was too old and too weak for the task. Ura was as excited as if it was her own woman curse; it was she who convinced Brac to go to talk Mog-ur into accepting the change of Oda for Ebra, and she presented Ena with one of her beautifully handcrafted wood-and-bone pointed "cooking implements" carved with Ena's and Durc's totem signs.

- If a cat or a wolf gets any wrong ideas, - said the mixed young woman, secretly, to her friend, - you can "cook it" with this baby here. You better take it to your furs to sleep.

- And don't forget to take your favorite wolverine hood too; - said Uma with a mischievous look in her eyes, - it can get pretty cold and lonely at night out there.

Ena blushed at the innuendo, but it was Ura's comment what set her face on fire.

- Just try not to scratch it too hard, - said Ena's best friend, with all intention, - or it will not last you until next winter.

Despite not being officially a man yet, Durc was accepted as an equal by the younger hunters of the clan; in fact, just as it had been before the Clan Gathering, it was the tall deformed boy the one who led the group. Durc didn't have, and never would, the tremendous musculature of a full grown man of the clan; but he was very strong indeed. The intensive practice with the bola, done inside the second cave during the whole winter, finally produced the results expected by Brun when he first decided to introduce the skinny boy to his own favorite weapon. Even if not as heavy as his clan friends, Durc's body build up was impressive; huge muscles in his arms, torso, back and legs, hinted the powerful man he was bound to become. And he was already the tallest member of his clan with only Ena coming close; having inherited that from his mother, he was probably even taller than Rec of the Others, or very close to it. The combined result of weight and stature, that made him look like the most powerful man on earth to Ena's eyes, only added to his evident leadership qualities among his age mates; and he wasn't done growing yet.

Quite apart of the time he spent with Ena, Durc had been taking advantage of the spring warm days to practice hunting strategies with the spear thrower. He devised several different approaches to maximize the effectiveness of the weapon and tried them with his three friends. Borg, who had been one of them until as recently as the summer before last, now avoided the group; and even went as far so as to tell them, during a hunting trip, that "they shouldn't lose their time playing with children", in obvious reference to Durc. But Brac had already realized that Durc's "weird way of thinking" was one of his most valuable assets, and he cultivated Durc's friendship to the point of becoming the boy's most trusted confident. Durc on his part, learned to rely in the acolyte's wisdom and open-mind-ness. While Grev was still his best friend, his milk brother, his accomplice, Brac was slowly replacing Brun as his counselor. When Ena left the cave to spend her woman's curse alone in the woods, Durc's urgencies became all too apparent to the acolyte. Knowing there was only one way to deal with it, he gathered the four surviving members of the "clan wolfpack" to hear his proposal.

- Time is due, - said Brac to his three friends, - for Durc here to become a man. I know that it is the leader, Vorn in this case, who decides when a boy is ready to become a man; but I think we can convince Vorn if we set out to do it.

- Vorn will not listen to us, - said Groob, - he only listens to those two old men. Crug doesn't want Durc to become a hunter, and Grod doesn't care.

- That is not so, Groob, - insisted Brac, - Crug was right last year, Durc was not ready, but he has trained the whole winter and the whole spring. And he is the best with the spear thrower, no one better than him to show what this weapon can do in a real hunt.

- Vorn will not risk a new hunter testing a new weapon, - said Durc, - not after what happened last summer. And I am not the best with the spear thrower, Grev is.

- That is open for discussion. - admitted Brac, - I know that no one seems able to come close to Grev's accuracy, but Durc almost doubles our range and he is accurate enough to ensure a kill. Anyway, this is not important…

- This is not important… - mimicked Grev, - Little brother Grev is never important…

- What is important here, - continued Brac, dismissing Grev's comment knowing he was just being playful, - is what can we do to help Durc. - Now he had everyone's attention.

- Little mog-ur has a plan, - said Grev, refusing to get serious.

- Yes, I do. We are going to devise a hunting plan to demonstrate the spear thrower, - said Brac, - and we are going to devise it around Durc's greater range. We are going to think in all possible contingencies and we are going to prepare a hunt dance to show our plan. If we do it right, Vorn won't be able to refuse.

The three younger hunters of the clan, led by the oldest boy of the clan, had just finished the hunt dance prepared by them to explain to Vorn their hunting strategy. The performance lacked the emotion conveyed when re-telling a real hunt but the plan had been very clearly exposed; Vorn doubted, though. He had been training with the spear thrower only to find just how difficult it was to master it; now he didn't know whether to praise the skill the youngsters showed with the new weapon or to discard it as useless for inconsistent and inaccurate. And he had to decide on the subject soon; the summer was already there and all the efforts of his hunters would have to be channeled towards getting as much meat as possible, as soon as possible. The spear thrower could help them to do just that, but only if it was possible to use it effectively. After careful meditation, he decided to delay his decision one more day. That night, he met with Goov Grod and Crug in the second chamber of the cave.

- You have been training with the thrower for some time already, Crug, - said the leader to his second-in-command, - I want your opinion now.

- I don't think I will ever be any good with that thing, - said Crug, - and I don't feel comfortable throwing a spear into the air, spears are not meant to be thrown. But I cannot close my eyes to what those young men can do either. I think it should be considered like a sling for spears; very difficult to master, not for everybody, but very effective once a certain measure of skill is attained. I also must say that the hunting strategy shown by those young men today is a very good one and most probably going to work well. Either one of them is a very astute hunter, or some older, experienced hunter, has been helping them.

- Do you think then, - asked the leader, - that I should agree to their plan?

- I'd say yes.

- Grod?

- I don't like the weapon, - said Grod - it is very dangerous, and we could lose more hunters. Besides, we don't need it; what we need is another hunter, and I think Durc is ready even without that spear thrower.

- Hunting has always been dangerous, - said Crug, - men die hunting all the time, as Broud has said repeatedly; it can't be helped. But a good strategy protects the hunter, and today I've seen a very wise strategy.

- Is it safe? - asked the leader, - Completely safe?

- No hunting strategy is completely safe, - said Crug, - I'd say it is reasonably safe.

- Mog-ur?

- The spear thrower, and the flying spears, - said Goov, - were given to Durc by a man of the Others, as a gift. I'd say that it is a good omen that they be used for the first time in the boy's manhood hunt. Maybe that is where we failed last summer, the spirits were not angry, they were just letting us know that they wanted Durc to be the first to use them.

- It would seem that this is the right decision then; - said Vorn, - we shall begin this hunting season with Durc's manhood hunt, and with the spear throwers.

Vorn was, still, not too confident; but Durc was his heir apparent, he had trained the boy the last few years and he was proud of his progress. Besides, he desperately needed another hunter.

- Let's hope, - said the leader, standing up and effectively ending the meeting, - that Ursus sends us a good herd soon.

- Brac searched this morning before the dance; there is a good herd of aurochs close to the cave. - said Goov, making a signal with his arm, meaning half a morning away by foot.

- Aurochs! - grunted Grod with disgust, sending shivers of fear through Vorn's spine.

But Goov was not going to let the old man scare the leader.

- Yes, aurochs; - said Goov, solemnly, - the spirits are making sure there is no mistake as to their will. It is no coincidence that they chose to send us aurochs again this time. It is, indeed, a very good omen.

The hunters left The Den at the first hint of sunlight, walking towards the prairies at a good pace, and missed Ena who was returning that very morning, having finished her woman's curse. Durc, however, knew that was the day she was supposed to return home, and smiled at the thought; If everything went as Brac had planned, he would sleep that night in his own hearth, already a hunter, and mated with Ena.

As Brac had predicted, they found the aurochs before mid-morning; it was a small herd of young animals led by an old bull. The hunters were downwind from their prey since the first moment they saw them; and that simple fact, to the worried Vorn, was another reassuring good omen. There were seven hunters in all; along with the four youngsters, Vorn, Crug and Borg were stalking the herd. Grod asked not to be included, Goov stayed to prepare the ceremony, Broud was not invited, and the women were not needed.

Their strategy was simple; inspired in that day when they saw the Others hunting three years ago at the Clan Gathering, but incorporating safety previsions and taking advantage of Durc's greater range with the thrower. The seven hunters approached the herd at the same time, crouching low, hidden by the grass. Durc was at the middle, Vorn to his right and Brac to his left; Grev was positioned to the right of Vorn and Crug at the extreme right, while Groob walked the extreme left with Borg between Brac and him. Only the four younger hunters carried the spear throwers and the bone pointed flying spears; two of them for each hunter.

Once they were well within Durc's range, but a few paces too far for the Clan hunters, Vorn called for a stop. Hiding in the tall grass, the leader studied the herd for a long while, continuously checking for wind changes and for the presence of four legged predators. After observing the herd, and according to the plan, Vorn selected a young cow and pointed it to Durc who nodded his agreement; the leader, then, gave the "Get ready" signal.

The four hunters with the spear throwers put one of their spears in their throwers and laid the other one on the ground; Durc stood up very slowly, aimed and threw. The boy's cast was the signal for Groob and Grev to run towards the herd and launch their own spears. As soon as they had made their throws, both run back to where they had left their second spears, while Durc, who had already reloaded, was covering their retreat along with Brac. Vorn Crug and Borg, armed with heavy conventional Clan spears, were the second line of defense. But it wasn't necessary; no single aurochs went after the retreating young hunters. Seeing that his friends were in no danger, Durc threw his second spear at the same cow at which he had thrown his first; already mortally wounded, the boy's second spear brought the young animal down. Forgetting all rules of manly behavior, Durc howled like a wolf in unrestrained celebration. He had made it! He was a man!

Grev and Groob had both aimed their spears at the same animal, a young bull not more than a couple years old which happened to be the closest animal; Groob's spear had gone deep in the animal's side but Grev's had pierced the young bull's heart. When they got back to their second spears, reloaded and turned around, the animal was already down. The smell of blood, the noise of the Clan hunters yelling and running, and the survival instinct of the herding animals, ended up producing the predictable result. Prompted by the old bull, which had been hunted several times before and knew of humans, the herd stampeded north, away from the commotion.

But as the clan hunters gathered around their prey to finish them with their clubs, a stranded young male aurochs, angered by the intrusion of the noisy predators and ignorant of their deadly traits, charged against them. Crug, the vigilant second-in-command, was the first to notice it and ran to one side flapping a piece of hide to call the attention of the enraged animal. The young aurochs followed the clan hunter, and it was evident that it was going to catch up with him before any other man could manage to make a relay. Aiming carefully, Brac threw his first spear, wounding the hind leg of the bull and making it turn around; and instant later, Grev's second spear found its way, for the second time that morning, into the animal's heart. Three aurochs in one single morning! Vorn and Crug were astonished.

* * *

_**MAP:**_

_There is a map for this story but I've found it impossible for me to post a Link to it here._

_A link to the map can be found in my **Profile**_


	7. Chapter 7: Facing Destiny

_To keep track of the changes occurred in the last three years, I am posting the Hearth Listings of Vorn's Clan at the beginning of the third summer after the Clan Gathering._

_To be consistent with the cave's distribution, the hearths are listed in order starting at the entrance and running along the right wall of the cave._

**Vorn's Clan: Hearth Listings**

Broud (28) - Former Leader, Ebra's son born to Brun's hearth (Wooly Rhinoceros totem)  
Oga (24) - Broud's mate, mother of Brac and Grev  
Erga (3) - Oga's daughter (Dove totem)  
Brooz (Newborn) - Oga's son (To be introduced later on this chapter)

Vorn (20) - Temporary leader, Aga's son, born to Norm's hearth  
Uba (15) - Medicine woman, Iza's daughter  
Creb (5) - Uba's son (Eagle totem)  
Ila (Newborn) - Uba's daughter

Borg (16) - Ika's son (Boar totem)  
Ona (16) - Borg's mate (Owl totem), Aga's daughter born to Norm's hearth  
Norm (4) - Ona's son (Boar totem)

Crug (29) - Second-in-command  
Ika (27) - Crug's mate, mother of Borg and Igra  
Dorv (8) - Ika's second son  
Burt (2) - Ika's third son (Lynx totem)

Grev (11) - Spear maker, Oga's second son  
Uma (8) - Grev's mate, Oda's daughter, childless (Hare totem)

Durc (10) - Future leader, Ayla's son, Uba's adoptive son, (Gray Wolf totem)  
Ena (10) - Durc's mate born to the Others, future medicine woman, childless (Wolverine totem)

Grod (36) - Former second in command, (Brown Bear totem)  
Aga (31) - Grod's second mate, mother of Vorn Ona and Groob  
Ayla (5) - Aga's daughter born to Droog's hearth (Ground Squirrel totem)

Groob (13) - Toolmaker, Aga's son born to Droog's hearth  
Igra (13) - Ika's daughter, childless

Brac (14) - Mog-ur's acolyte, Oga's first son  
Ura (10) - Oda's daughter, mixed, originaly promised to Durc (Hamster totem)  
Rec (Newborn) - Ura's son, mixed  
Ebra (38) - Brun's mate, Broud's mother, born to Brug's hearth

Goov (27) - Mog-ur (Arouchs totem/Ursus totem)  
Ovra (25) - Goov's mate, Uka's daughter born to Grod's hearth (Beaver totem)  
Una (4) - Ovra's daughter (Roe Deer totem)  
Oda (23) - Goov's second mate, from other clan, mother of Ura and Uma (Hamster totem)

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Facing Destiny**

Ena was exhausted from the stress of spending an entire moon alone in the woods, but a woman of the clan could not afford the luxury of resting in the middle of the day, so she went to help Ura with the cooking at Brac's hearth where both women lived.

- Durc was so happy when you became a woman, - was saying Ura, while nursing her son, - he had Brac and all the "wolf pack" planning a manhood hunt for him and talking Vorn into it. They even prepared a hunt dance; I had never seen a dance about a future hunt before.

- A hunt dance? - asked Ena - And they did all that for me?

- Nope, Durc did all that for you. They did it for Durc, they would do anything for Durc, - said Ura, - even Brac talked to Mog-ur to help him convince Vorn to include your mating in his manhood ceremony. You will sleep in your own hearth tonight, baby!

- A mating ceremony? Tonight? And Durc did that for me?

- No! Brac did it... for Durc! Wake up, honey! It is mid morning! The sun is shining outside! Open your eyes! Close your mouth! Hello!

- It is so good to see you so happy. - said Ena – Aren't you mad at me? You should be; you were the one supposed to mate Durc, you were the one supposed to become the leader's mate. I feel as if I had stolen your man.

- I wasn't supposed to become the leader's mate, - said Ura, - I was supposed to be the mate of the deformed son of some medicine woman born to the Others; and just because no other man would have me. But Brac wanted me, he asked for me, he even talked to Durc and asked him for me. Now I have Rec, and one day my mate will be the greatest mog-ur of all the clans. I'm not mad at you. You are my best friend, and I'm so happy; so happy for me, and so happy for you. The question is, are you happy?

- I don't know, really, mostly I am scared; everything is happening so fast. What is it like to be mated? Do you like to be mated? Do you like to be mated… to Brac?

- To be mated is good, - said Ura, - and yes, I like it. I do whatever I want within my hearth and nobody dares so much as to look bad at me now; they fear the spirits that talk to my mate. And Brac is so good to me, he likes everything I do for him and I like doing things for him. And he listens to me, he always listens to me; no man ever listens to a woman but Brac is different, he is so wise, so smart, he is not afraid to speak to a woman.

- They are coming! They are coming! - Young Ayla came running inside the cave, shouting and waving her arms, but Grod's angry look cut her short; that behavior was unacceptable on such a grown up girl.

It was barely noon and they were coming back, five of them, led by Vorn and loaded with the cow Durc had killed. Vorn told Grod, briefly, about the outcome of the hunt, calming his fears that two more hunters may have been killed; Crug and Borg had stayed to guard their other kills with the help of a circle of fires.

While the leader stayed at the cave, the second-in-command took the other four hunters back to retrieve their other kills while Broud, at a slower pace, set out with the women to help. Ebra, Ura and Uba stayed to prepare the cow for Durc's manhood banquet, but every other able woman, including the older girls Ayla, Erga and Una, went with Broud to help bring the meat home. Once on the hunting grounds, the women quickly took both heads off the young bulls, took out the entrails, and cut the largest one of them in several pieces to carry; the heads, less the horns which were taken as trophies, were abandoned to the scavengers. Then Grod, with the help of Crug, Borg and Groob, carried the smaller bull in the traditional manner of the clan hunters, while the entrails and the other bull, already cut to pieces, were carried by the women. Broud, Brac, Grev and Durc, all armed with slings and traditional heavy clan spears, flanked the group as protection. It was barely past mid afternoon when the entire group arrived to the cave.

- Are you sure, Mog-ur? - asked Vorn - What sense does it make to lose one fine hunter when we have just gotten him. Most of our hunters are too inexperienced and not too effective; the hunting season has begun late this year and we need all the hunters we can get. Maybe we should wait until winter for the mating.

- I am sure, - said Goov, - this is what the spirits want. Don't you see it Vorn? From now on, every hunt will count for three hunts. And once Durc finishes his isolation period you will have the most effective hunting team of all clans. Also, more mated women means more babies. Spirits like all women to be well cared for and all hunters to be well served; and when the spirits are happy they send many hunting animals and many babies. It is a known fact.

- I won't claim to know more than you about the spirits, Mog-ur. - said Vorn, - You could be right, maybe it is good to mate Durc this soon; he will be free to hunt long before the time when the herds are bigger and roam closer to the cave.

By the time the sun disappeared below the horizon, the whole clan gathered outside the cave, around a big fire and surrounded by a circle of several medium sized fires, to gorge on fresh tender aurochs meat in celebration for a new hunter added to their ranks. Everybody was talking about what a fine hunter he was, how brave he was, how much help he would be to the clan; also how wonderful his kill was, how tender and delicious. It was the usual treatment all clan boys got when they became men, but that didn't make it any less exciting for the new man. It never did.

After the meal the ceremonies began, as usual in these cases, with a hunt reenactment. Durc, who had inherited Broud's theatrical skills, led the most exciting hunt dance of his life. Everyone nodded approval and admiration when Grev's spear pierced the heart of the first bull and when Durc's second spear killed the cow they had just eaten from. Everyone showed fear and anxiety when the second bull went after Crug and, after Grev's second spear downed it, everyone praised Grev's skill with the new weapon.

But no one was more excited than Broud. Ever since Vorn had allowed that new weapon to be tested by any hunter at will, he had been practicing with a thrower that Grev had made for him, every free moment he had; and he was slowly getting the nick of it. The hunt dance gave him more ideas as to how to use the new weapon and the resolve to itensify his practices. He even got some additional pleasure from the fact that Grev, the son of his hearth, was receiving more attention for his skill with the thrower, than Durc for his manhood hunt. He felt a little vindicated for Ayla stealing the glory of his own manhood hunt. Broud hadn't been in a better mood since the Clan Gathering.

After the hunt dance, Crug ceremoniously gave Brac a small token of kinship, for saving his life turning the bull around with his spear, and Brac gave another one to Crug in return. Those were very personal objects and both hunters put them in their amulets without showing to anyone. Crug then announced that he acknowledged the young acolyte to carry a piece of his spirit. Being done with the formalities Brac disappeared inside the cave to look for The Mog-ur.

Goov, who had not eaten all day in preparation for the ceremonies, appeared dressed in full ceremonial outfit and followed by his acolyte. Brac carried a ceremonial knife and three wooden cups with magical preparations. Standing in front of the fire, surrounded by the clan, the magician called the protective totem spirits with powerful and commanding, if silent, gestures. Then, when the presence of the all powerful spirits was being felt by all of the clan members, Goov called the new man-to-be in front of him. Durc was not as prepared as he thought he was and found himself almost panicking in the presence of the powerful magician; this was not Goov, this was The Mog-ur. Taking hold of himself, the tall boy glanced around to see Ena's admiring eyes and managed to find the inner strength he needed to face the spirits embodied in Goov.

Taking the old ceremonial knife of his beloved mentor, Goov raised it high towards the starred sky and addressed Durc's mighty totem spirit.

-Spirit of the Gray Wolf, totem of Durc, - said Goov in the silent gestures of the ancient Clan language, - this boy was once delivered to your protection. Now we ask you to guide this hunter in the ways of the Gray Wolf, and in the ways of the Great Ursus.

Then, The Mog-ur made four curved cuts in Durc's upper right arm, forming two very narrow, V-shaped, downward pointing marks arranged to resemble the upper canines of a wolf. After cleaning the bleeding wounds with an antiseptic solution, Goov covered them with a salve especially made to leave a permanent mark, half a scar half a tattoo; the mark of his totem. Fighting not to start trembling, Durc turned slowly around to show everybody his tattooed arm, proof of his new status. Ena was then called to come forward and seat on the ground in front of him.

- Durc, hunter of Vorn's clan of the Cave Bear, - asked Goov with silent gestures, - do you agree to take the woman Ena, here, into your hearth as your mate?

Ena was frozen still, her eyes refusing to open. What if he had changed his mind? What if he didn't want her? What if... Durc's tap in her left shoulder burned her skin as if his fingers had been live coals instead. Standing up, Ena rearranged her wrap to bare her small, still growing, breasts. Taking the yellow ochre paste from the second bowl Brac was carrying, Goov drew on Ena's left breast, the two undulating lines that were the sign of her totem; then, taking more paste from the third bowl Brac had brought, The Mog-ur drew on Ena's breast the sign of Durc's totem, this time with red ochre, covering and blurring hers to show his dominance.

- Spirit of the Gray Wolf, totem of Durc, - said Goov in silent formal gestures, - your sign has overcome the sign of the spirit of Wolverine, totem of Ena. Let it always be so, for the good of The Clan.

Durc turned towards the cave and, followed by Ena, walked to what used to be Brun's hearth to begin their isolation period while the rest of the men went into the second chamber of the cave for the private ceremony that would cement the new mating.

For Ena it felt strange to come back to the hearth where she had lived since she first came to this clan, three years ago, and that from now on was going to be hers to tend. In the privacy of their own hearth, away from curious eyes thanks to Clan's rules of courtesy, Durc turned to his new mate and took her in his arms. After holding her tightly for a while, lost in the firelight reflected in her green eyes, the new man attempted to lick his mate's ear.

- Does the hunter want to play wolves right now? - she asked.

The look in Durc's eyes was all the answer she needed. "Are you happy?" Had Ura asked her, earlier that same day. Surrendering her long pale neck to her mate's hungry mouth, Ena was now completely sure of the answer. She could not possibly be happier.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The piercing shriek of the hawk claiming that particular portion of the sky as his very own territory was the only indication of his presence. Flying high, in the clear blue sky of a summer day, it was impossible to see the small bird of prey against the bright sun. He was, of course, not hunting; the lizards and the mice that were his prey had all sought cover at the sound of his voice. He was just expressing his joy, his lust for life, his freedom. Masuko shrieked back at the bird trying unsuccessfully to catch a glimpse of him in the vast blue, it was a beautiful summer day in the middle of the prairies and she was enjoying the sun, the soft wind, the yellow-green of the land and the blue of the sky. She was young, she was happy, she was loved and she was in love.

- Sukie!

He never called her by her given name anymore, he had made her a name in his own language, and she liked it. She had liked it since the very first time he called her that way, because she was not going to be Masuko of the Sabanii anymore; she would be Sukie for him, she would be anything he wanted her to be, for he was everything she wanted for her.

- Are you talking to birds now?

- I am just trying to find it, - she said, opening her arms wide and turning around, - you know how I love birds of prey. I always dream I'm an eagle, flying high over the land and the mountains and the sea; all the way to the end of the world and back.

- Back to…

- Back to my nest, - she said, throwing her arms around him, - to my lover, to my mate.

And then they were furiously kissing each other, rolling on the fresh hay. It seemed that she could never have enough of him, and he could certainly never have enough of her. They spent honoring the mother more time than they spent hunting or anything else at that; no wonder the journey was taking so long.

Their journey had begun before the winter was entirely over, but winters were not so cold that far south. They had traveled north with the summer, but the season had caught up with them long ago and now they were not even going north anymore. he said he wanted to look for some friends he had made in his travels and, after crossing a large river where it emptied into the inland sea and following the northern shore of that sea for several days, they were now traveling into what seemed to be a large peninsula towards a range of high mountains raising over the horizon far to the south.

- How long will it take to get to your friends? - asked Masuko

- I don't know.

- Can we winter with them if it gets too late in the season?

- I don't know.

- Is there anything at all that you… know?

- One thing, there is; that you are the most beautiful woman alive, and that I am crazy in love with you.

- Well, - she said with a wide, open mouthed smile, - those are two things actually. And to make you a really really wise man, I'll tell you a third thing for you to know; I love you too my beautiful crazy mate.

And feeling her mate's hands and mouth all over her deeply tanned skin, setting on fire her naked body, Masuko realized they were not traveling anywhere that day, either.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The old leader crawled under the bushes and the exposed roots of the fallen trees, slowly, carefully, fully alert to any strange sound or scent. Walking in circles, and looking back at his own trail trying to spot any follower, the wolf leader approached the den where the lead female of his pack hid her new puppies. After making sure that he was not being followed, the old wolf called his mate with a short bark; he was not going to see his puppies yet, not until the day when she would present them to the pack, but he brought her food in his stomach, so she would produce enough milk for her babies. But, despite all his efforts, he was not as alone as he thought; from a cliff, high on the hillside, four pairs of eyes watched him.

- He brings food to his mate and her children in the cave, - said Ura, - just as you do with us.

- Only we don't carry it in our stomachs, - said Durc.

- This is most amazing, - said Ena, - I never dreamed of seeing a living wolf in her den. How did you find the den? I think he doesn't even leave tracks, he is so careful.

- Not careful enough for Brac here, - said Durc looking at the acolyte who also accompanied them.

- It was just luck, - said Brac, - I think your totem wanted me to find the den for you.

Soon after he went out of his isolation period Durc had asked Brac to find out if the puppies were already at the nursery and Brac decided to search instead of going out. The puppies were not out of the den yet, they were late this year, but the acolyte had managed to follow the wolf leader to the female's den and now they were there.

Durc told Brac of his promise to Ena and they decided to go out with their mates and take a look at the den from afar. Ura had wanted to see the wolves too, but Brac insisted that she left Rec with Ebra if she wanted to go; he was not about to risk the baby chasing wolves. Women of the clan were naturally noisy creatures, when traveling or foraging, it was instinctive and a protection against the smaller predators; but now they had been required to act stealthy and move silently and they both had surprised their mates by being able to comply. Brac in particular was very interested in the adaptability of those two women to a behavior that was unnatural for them; none of the other women, he was sure, could have controlled her instincts so well.

- He looks so much older, - said Durc, - if the white wolf came back now he would not only steal one female.

- I don't know, - said Brac, - he could probably beat him, but I don't think the pack would accept the white one as their new leader. Wolves don't like wrong color wolves, old Zoug always said that. Remember?

- Some other wolf will soon fight him for the leadership of the pack, - said Durc.

- Most probably, - agreed Brac.

- But if it happens this summer, - added Durc, - all the puppies will die. The new leader will kill them.

- But why? - said Ena - Didn't you say that the whole pack cared for the puppies? They wouldn't let them be killed by the new leader. And why would he want to kill them? They mean no danger for him.

- That is the way of the wolf. - said Brac, - Only the mother will try to defend the puppies but she will not succeed; not against a full grown male.

- But why? - insisted Ura.

- The pack will not follow the new leader unless the lead female accepts him, - explained Durc, - and she will not accept a new mate while she still have puppies born to her former mate's hearth, so to speak.

- I would never accept a mate who killed my babies, - said Ura, - I would rather die.

Brac listened to his mate with surprise, a woman was supposed to do what she was told. She would mate whomever the leader gave her to, it was no in her to accept or not to accept a mate. What would have Ura done, he wondered, if she hadn't wanted to mate him? If she had hated him? What could she do? She could die, that is what she said she would do. Would she really let herself die if she was given to a man she hated? He knew more than anyone else the strength of her mate's personality, she certainly would.

- But you don't worry, baby, I will live forever; - continued Ura, talking to Ena but casting sidelong glances at her mate, - if only to please Brac.

The male wolf left and the female disappeared into her den. Durc made a short imperative gesture and the four of them left their hiding place and began to walk back home in silence. After a while, Durc stopped and pointed at a patch of green ahead, looking at Brac.

The acolyte nodded and signaled the women to stay close and as stealthy as they did when approaching the wolf's den, and began to follow Durc with the women close behind them; all of their senses in full alert. Ura was overexcited, they were hunting! The men had said nothing but she was sure; Durc had found a track, some mysterious invisible set of marks only hunters could see, and they were following it. They were hunting with their mates!

After a very short time, Durc stopped again and pointed to the woods; Brac nodded again and both men took out their spear throwers and loaded each a spear. Durc walked slowly forward, one step at a time, seeking for cover staying close to the trees; Brac stayed with the women. Ena froze, her eyes glued to her mate, while Ura tried desperately to see what was Durc going after.

Durc approached his prey, alternatively walking a few paces and stopping still for a few moments. Then, very slowly, aimed his weapon and waited for the best moment to cast his spear. His throw, when it came, took Ura by surprise; his spear flew into the dark woods seeking a prey only he, and Brac, could see. Brac walked to where his friend stood, signaling the women to follow, and then the four of them went to retrieve Durc's kill; a red deer.

While the women gutted, skinned and cut the small deer in pieces to carry, both men stayed alert in guard against any invisible predator that could endanger their women; the relaxed mood of the walk in the woods early that same day was gone. A deer so small would usually have been carried over the hunter's shoulders, but having the women with them, the hunters needed to be free to use their weapons to protect them; also having the women, they did not need to carry their own kill. The Clan's proven gender related specialization was fully at work.

- Do you think these puppies will die? asked Ena to her mate, once they had resumed their trek back home.

Durc nodded affirmatively.

- There is a new wolf in the territory, - he said, - young, full grown adult. Most probably a wanderer. He was stalking the same deer he hunted; I saw his tracks, Brac saw them too.

- We must warn Vorn, - confirmed Brac, - a lone wolf in the territory is a danger to all women and children, especially newborns.

Ura shivered, not precisely from the cold, and the small group continued in complete silence towards the cave; the young men watching for the slightest sign of the presence of the wolf, the young women ready to obey any emergency order from their mates. As soon as they got back home, Durc and Brac went to talk to Vorn while the women went to their hearths, divided the meat between both of them, and set apart the head with the neck and the entire hide to give it to Oda as Mog-ur's share of the hunt. But as soon as Durc got back to his hearth, Ena came to him and requested permission to speak.

- When you said back there that the pack would let the new leader kill the puppies, - said Ena, very worried, - you said it was the way of the Wolf.

Durc nodded.

- Your totem is the Gray Wolf, would you let my babies be killed?

- We are not wolves, - said Durc, pensively, he knew there was more to what Ena was saying than what was actually said, - we are Clan. We follow the way of the Clan.

- If I have babies...

Ena saw the hard look in her mate's eyes and quickly corrected herself

- ...I mean, when I have babies, they will be considered deformed; you know that. The leader could order them to be killed, to be exposed and left to die; that is the way of the Clan.

- I would ask Vorn that their life be spared, - said Durc, - just as Brac did with Rec, that is my right as your mate; that is the way of the Clan. I would never allow one baby of yours to be left to die.

- But the leader might not agree, - said Ena, turning to cast a glance towards Broud's hearth, - or the leader might not be Vorn. You know that could happen.

- Look at me Ena, - said Durc looking deep into his mate's tearful green eyes, - I will never allow one single baby of yours to be killed or to be left to die. Never! I will do whatever it takes. Do you understand? Whatever it takes! I will never allow a baby of yours to be killed or left to die. That is my promise to you; that is my promise to them.

Taking his crying mate in his arms, Durc held her tight for a long while. He then began to caress her head, her hair, her arms, her back; and closing his eyes he vowed to himself... "Whatever it takes…"

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

They had reached the west end of the mountain range that extended like a wall, from east to west, between the sea and the rest of the peninsula, and were now traveling eastwards along the northern hillsides. Masuko could tell that her mate was not very sure about where to go; he had doubted whether to go around and follow the southern face before deciding to take the route they had finally taken and, even now, he was not completely sure about what was he looking for.

- Are you sure that you recognize this region? - she asked.

-I am sure I don't, - he said, - I have never been here before.

- But you said you met your friends during your journey, I am sure you can remember if you try.

- They were traveling too, - he explained, - they were several days away from their home; but they told me their cave was in these hillsides, close to the prairies, not too high. It is supposed to be very hard to see, the entrance is barely a small hole on the ground, like a wolf's den; the children call their cave "The Den". There is a clue, though, a small mountain creek flows westwards right in front of it.

- No creeks here, - said Masuko, - but the small river we crossed yesterday flows more or less westwards. If we follow it upstream, it might get closer to the hillsides; it might be the creek you are looking for.

- Yes, it might be. But I don't think we should go back; if we go east, we must eventually find it.

Masuko was not worried about journeying through an unknown land; she loved traveling, knowing new places, meeting new people. That was why she had become a traveling trader, that was why she only came home for the winter, that was how she had met her mate two years ago. Last winter had been her first away from home; but she did not miss too much her people, she could make any place her home, and she had already decided that home, for her, was wherever he was.

- Look! - she said, pointing northeast to the prairies - There is a group of people there! It looks like a hunting party returning home; and they are traveling south, they might be them! Hurry up! They are going to pass us by!

Masuko ran, followed by her mate, to intercept the slow traveling band but, as she came closer, something about the hunting party began to bother her; something was not quite right.

- Flatheads! - she said, abruptly stopping and dropping to the ground - Lie low! Great Earth Mother, those are flatheads! Could this be flathead country? My lover, you are so very lost!

Vorn saw the movement, far to the southwest, and warned Crug with a short low pitched grunt. He was leading the women and Crug was, with Durc, covering the right flank. They had killed four reindeer and the women were very heavily loaded, the large amount of meat a treat to any four legged scavenger or predator, and the seven hunters were extremely alert. Brac and Grev covered the left flank of the group and hadn't seen anything, as neither had Borg and Groob, who were in the most dangerous position covering the rear. But Vorn's grunt, and Crug's reaction, alerted the whole group.

The women closed in together, while Vorn and Crug concentrated in following with their eyes the suspected stalkers, without stopping, changing course or slowing down. The rest of the hunters looked around to find more stalkers; they knew they shared their hunting territory with a wolf pack, and were not about to let themselves be surprised them or any other pack hunters.

- Others! - gestured Vorn.

- I only see two of them, - said Crug, - threre might be more though.

Vorn began to feel very agitated; Others in their territory, and so close to their cave, were very bad news. Even if there were only two of them they posed a real danger; he could not allow them to follow him to his cave, they would come back later with more Others. The first order of business was not to let them know they had been spotted; if he managed to lead them to the woods by the hillside he would be able to hide the women and trap the intruders. Just then one of the Others dropped to the ground trying to hide in the hillside vegetation, they were stalking his group alright.

- Vorn!

The leader turned his head, without breaking his stride, to look what was it that Durc wanted to tell him.

- It is Ranec!

- Who? Do you know these Others?

- I am sure it is Ranec... Rec, - said Durc using the Clan version of the name, - and the other one is a woman.

- No, - said Crug, - no woman, they are both carrying spears.

- Women of the Others hunt, - insisted Durc, - remember?

Vorn gestured Durc back to his proper position, and kept walking while he decided what to do. If the young man was right, he should greet the stranger and offer him the hospitality of his cave. That was the man who had brought them the spear throwers and, even if they had been, ostensibly, a gift for Durc and even if Goov had assured him that they had given the man proper retribution, he knew he was indebted to that man; the spear throwers had turned out to be more valuable than anyone might have thought back then. But he wasn't sure, he had never actually seen the man, he had been gone hunting when he visited his camp. What if Durc was wrong? What if it was other man? How could anyone tell? All the Others looked alike! But this man had brown skin, as he was told Rec had; and the woman, he could now tell it was effectively a woman, had the same color of skin as the clan, not the pale skin of Ena or the first Ayla. Vorn thought hard about what to do; if it really was Rec and he didn't acknowledge him, it would anger the spirits, he was indebted to the man of the Others. But if it was not Rec... They were closer now...

- Durc! Grev! Groob! - Vorn stopped and the whole party followed suit; the three young men ran to the leader.

- Yes Vorn?

- Drop all your weapons, - said Vorn addressing his youngest hunter, - and approach the man of the Others; if it is Rec, bring him to me.

- Yes Vorn, - said Durc dropping immediately all his weapons to the ground.

- Groob, Grev, - continued the leader, - take two spears each one of you and follow Durc with your spear throwers, cover him like we do in a hunt. If the man threatens any of you, kill him and kill his woman; if any of them tries to run away, kill them both at once.

- Oh Bana, Great Mother of All! They've seen us! They are coming, they are coming!

- Calm down, Sukie, they are my friends. Don't you see the young man in front? He is coming in peace, without weapons.

- Your friends? Man? - Masuko was horrified, - That is an abomination of mixed spirits! And those are flatheads! Animals!

- I wouldn't call them names right now; he is unarmed, but the other two have spears and are covering him. Drop your weapons, Sukie, don't frighten them; I'll do the talking.

- Talking? They are animals! They can't talk!

- They are not animals, Sukie, they are people, men of the Clan; and I know their language. Now, stay put and follow my clue; you will like them and they will like you, you'll see.

- Greetings! - the man of the Others stood up in the open, gesturing with his arms extended and his hands empty, showing he carried no weapons - Durc of the Clan of the Cave Bear! This man is Ranec of the Mamutoi! Does Durc remember this man?

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

- This man is Ranec, - said the man of the Others, speaking to the whole clan gathered around a big fire just outside the cave, - master carver Lion Camp of Mamutoi. Mamutoi have no personal totem, totem is for hearth. This man… born… hearth of Whymez, master tool maker Lion Camp, Fox hearth. Mother die, boy Ranec go hearth of Talut, leader of Lion Camp, Lion hearth. This woman is mate, name is Sukie.

Masuko was seated at Ranec's feet, obviously scared, trying to hide behind his legs. Her attitude looked very feminine to the clan men. "Not like Ayla's," thought Broud.

- Rec, Uky, - Vorn did his best to imitate Ranec's sounds.

- Rec, Uky – repeated, very seriously, all the members of the clan. Name words were important.

The man of the Others was less apt at speaking than a small child, but most of the Clan hunters were surprised that he talked at all. The first time he met the clan, the hunters had been gone and he had talked to the mog-ur and the older boys, now the younger hunters; but this time, at Vorn's indication, he was talking to the entire clan. In the three years he had been traveling, Ranec had gotten used to tell his story every time he found a new cave of people, and had discovered he was a good storyteller who enjoyed the reactions of his audience.

Vorn pondered what the man had said, it was strange that he had no totem but Others were known to be strange; however the man seemed to be one of high status, master… something, born to the hearth of the master toolmaker, raised at the hearth of the leader.

- What is carv? - asked Vorn, brusquely -What is Mutoi? Your cave was a Lion's den?

- Mamutoi is people, - answered Ranec, the best he could, - Others many people, not one people like Clan. Mamutoi means mammoth hunters, live far north. Sungaea other people, live close north and west. Matenorai is people live close south; Sukie people is Sabanii, they live far south.

The people of the clan thought it was very confusing, so many different people, and they had thought there were only Clan and Others.

- Lion Camp is home, - continued Ranec, - like cave. Many Mamutoi camps. Camp has same name of leader hearth totem. Carver (Ranec knew no clan sign for his craft, so he used the mamutoi word for it) is man make this.

And then Ranec displayed on the floor, a small ivory horse, one of his bird-woman Mutas and a wooden bowl with a hunting scene carved on it.

- Why would a man waste so much time making that? - asked Vorn - Why make it at all?

- Make for special ceremonies, - explained Ranec pointing at the Muta, - like matings. Make for good luck - pointing at the horse - when hunting and also because people like.

Durc took out the eagle-like carved thrower Ranec had given him three years ago, and that he had brought to the meeting.

- Is this for good luck hunting? - he asked laying the weapon on the ground for all to see.

- Yes, good luck hunt, - said Ranec - honor Spirit of Eagle, spirit happy make spear fly far and true.

The men nodded understanding, _carv _was evidently something that had a lot to do with the spirits. The meticulous carvings on the spear thrower, the horse figurine, the hunting scene, all were evidence of very powerful magic. It made Ranec, before the Clan's eyes, a man of the spirits; maybe not like a mog-ur, maybe more like an experienced acolyte, but nonetheless powerful.

- Why Rec leave Lion Clan? - asked Vorn. No other man or boy would ask anything unless Vorn was finished. No girl or woman would ask anything at all.

- This man had woman promised to mate. - said Ranec; he knew that, to the clan men, it would look unworthy of a man to be so emotional over a woman, but he could not lie; Ayla always knew when someone lied, - Other man, visitor, go back to his people, take promised woman; this man cannot stay. This man leaves to find people of mother, mother not Mamutoi. This man meets Clan, travels far; cannot find people of mother but meets new people, finds new mate. Now is time to come back.

The clan men nodded understanding again. They couldn't even begin to suspect the emotional impact that loosing Ayla had on Ranec, it was beyond their understanding, but they understood status. If the leader let a visitor take away a woman already promised to one of his hunters, that was a serious offense to that hunter. It merited leaving the clan where one was so little appreciated to find a new clan; it was also a hard blow to one's status; no wonder the man had gone so far and for so long. Being a man of the spirits he was now, most assuredly, coming back for his revenge. An angered magician was, definitely, not a man to cross; it was better to be in good terms with him.

- Rec, - said Vorn solemnly, - the gift you have made to the Clan, this spear thrower, puts me as leader in your debt. I offer you the hospitality of our cave for as long as you wish, you will be given a space to set up your hearth. You are welcome to join us in our hunts, as the least ranked hunter, and to receive a fair share of the meat; and when you choose to leave, you will be given whatever you need for your travels in payment for our debt.

With these words Vorn let it known that he was through questioning the stranger, other hunters might question him now. Mog-ur would surely talk at length with the man and Vorn counted with Goov to help him in managing his visitor. Fortunately, the cave was big and there was plenty of space between Brac's hearth and the storage area, Rec could set up his hearth next to Brac's.

- Rec! - it was Durc, the least ranked hunter, who spoke - If you are not too tired, I would like to know of your travels since the time we met the year of the Clan Gathering.

Sukie looked around and saw curiosity reflected in everyone's face, Ranec had translated Durc's request for her benefit. Clan people were not so different after all; they loved to hear long stories told by mysterious strangers, just like anyone else.

- This man happy to tell, - said Ranec in his rudimentary clan, - will tell both in clan and mamutoi language so mate not miss story; mate cannot talk clan.

The women, who were mostly afraid of strangers, began to warm towards him; he was being so considerate to his mate, and they could not help but to like that.

- After this man meet clan, - began Ranec, - travel west to find river as Mog-ur say. Big river, hard to cross; this man put his pack in log and swim the river with log…

Sukie was not as interested in Ranec's story as the people of the Clan was. She had heard the story of his journey several times already, but he had never talked about meeting flathead's or having flathead friends; and he was not going to talk about them now either. She began, instead, to observe the clan members with less fear and more interest.

The Clan men were very interested; they wanted to know about the dangerous Others that surrounded their territory. Durc and Ura were even more interested; they knew they were part Others and wanted to know everything there was to know about their ways. But no one was as interested as Ena, she was completely mesmerized, those were the Others, those were her kind. The young woman was trying to imagine what her life would have been if she hadn't been raised by the Clan; and she felt irresistibly drawn to Uky, it was the only woman of her kind she had ever seen, she just could not take her eyes away from the stranger.

- … When first winter of journey was close, - was telling Ranec, - I find cave of Matenorai, they live in west coast of big sea to the south, good hunters, good fish hunters. They offer hospitality and I spend winter with them. In spring I hunt with Matenorai to repay hospitality and in summer travel south. Many moons I travel and I get to very big sea far to the south, I know people of mother live at the other side of that sea, must travel east and then south, but winter is coming again and I must find people to stay the winter. But I find no people, then, one day I find woman travel alone. She travel… ( Ranec knows no clan sign for trader ) with things to give other people and bring other things to her people. Woman is Sukie.

- Why Uky travel alone? - Asked Durc

- Her clan live in… ( Ranec doesn't know a clan sign for island ) small land with sea all around. Many fish, many shellfish, much salt; not much meat, not much furs, very little vegetables. She take salt and dried fish and shells, go to other caves to give, gets furs and vegetables as payment. She fast runner, travel alone, travel faster.

- She goes to other clans to trade! - Brac was astonished; trading was very infrequent between clans, and was always done by a very high status hunter, usually the second-in-command, who traveled with two or more women to carry all things. – Isn't that a man's job?

- Others different, many different, - said Ranec, - Others men and women all make same things. No men jobs, no women jobs, all the same. Men are bigger and stronger, but only women can make babies, is only difference. Sukie good trade ( he remembered the sign from Brac, ) very high status.

- If her clan is surrounded by sea, - asked Durc, - how can she travel to other clans?

- Sabanii, Sukie people, make canoe, - Ranec used the sabanii word for canoe, - canoe is big log with hole. People and stuff get in hole, not drown, not get wet.

The look in the faces of the clan told Ranec they didn't believe him, or rather, they didn't understand him. Maybe he would make a little canoe to show them in the river. But for now he decided to go on.

- Sukie tell me to winter with her cave, - continued Ranec, - Sabani, their mog-ur, know of people of mother, he travel to people of mother when young. He tell they leave cave, go south, very far, cannot find.

The disappointment in Ranec's expression was clear to all clan members; they could understand him through his body language more accurately than from his imperfect gestures. They understood also what it meant to abandon their home and travel into the unknown in search for a new home. One clan had been lost from the last Clan Gathering that way; they had left their home, and nobody knew where they went.

- I stay all winter, train with Sabani, their mog-ur, and learn more of carving than I think possible; Sabani great carver. - Ranec's words confirmed to the Clan his condition of trainee magician - Then in spring I hunt fish with Sabanii, and in summer I mate with Sukie. In late summer I leave to return home; people of mother is no more, this man want to go home with new mate. We travel west, meet other Sabanii caves; then travel north, meet other Matenorai cave that live closer to the mountains, far from the sea.

- Winter come and we stay with Matenorai, - Ranec had still all the attention of the clan, - but winter is not too cold, we leave early and travel north to big river. In river we find new people, Ramudoi people make big canoe, they call boat, boat can take many people in river. We travel with Ramudoi in boat many days northeast, then river turns south and we get off to travel north. When we get close to peninsula, this man decides to look for clan; want to meet friend Durc again, want to know great leader Vorn, want to learn more of clan ways. We travel many days in clan territory and then you find us.

Ranec and Masuko went into the cave to settle in the place Vorn had decided to give them. That first night they caused a few blunders since Masuko didn't know anything about clan women's proper behavior. Uba, as the leader's mate, as well as Ura and Ena, had gone to help her since it was a woman's job to set up the hearth; it was the man's prerogative to decide on the hearth's space distribution, but the woman was the one supposed to actually do the work. Masuko was astonished the first time she saw Ena; she never imagined to find a woman living with those flatheads, much less mated to one, and regarded the other flatheads, specially Durc and Ura, with disgust. She was a nice, open minded, person, but she couldn't help her upbringing. For the first time in almost a year and a half she doubted the wisdom of joining her life with Ranec's. Why did he never talk about these flatheads?

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

- Uky does not like us, - said Ena to Durc, - she looks at us as if we were a rotten carcass of a hyena. Why doesn't she like us? We have been nice to her. And she is very impolite, she keeps looking into other people's hearths; not like Rec, he is very nice.

They were eating at Durc's hearth, after helping Ranec and Masuko to set up their hearth. Ena used to talk with Durc about all kind of things in the privacy of their hearth, without asking for permission first; she knew Durc liked her to do so. Ranec and Masuko were invited to eat at Mog-ur's hearth, and Brac had decided to share dinner with Durc; Grev was there too as were the sisters Ura and Uma, their mates. The six of them were eating together, that was not the clan way, but it was Durc's hearth and he liked it that way; Ura and Uma liked it too, so they were always nice with Ena and they both worshiped Durc. Sometimes Groob and Igra joined the group, but they were very uncomfortable about men and women sharing meals and conversation; so when those two were present, the women ate together after the men were finished, and didn't participate in their conversation, as was the Clan way. But that was not the case that night.

- I don't think she is acting that way on purpose, - said Brac, - I can see she is very afraid of us, also Other's customs might be different; but we must talk to Rec, she must learn not to offend other people.

- I think we should take him out tomorrow, - said Durc, - leave Uky with the women and talk to him in private.

- I don't think she will want to stay, - said Uma, - and I don't think I would like to be with her. She is mean, I don't like her.

- She will stay, - said Grev, - if Rec tells her to, and you will be nice to her if I tell you to.

- I want to ask him about Other's spirits, - said Brac.

- I want to ask him about Mama, - said Durc.

- I am glad you finally seem to be ready to talk about her, - said Grev, - and it is good, because I think you needed to outgrow that problem with Ayla. It will do you a lot of good and us too; somehow, I feel there is something very important to the Clan still missing in Ayla's story.

Durc and Brac looked open mouthed at Grev, but Uma was beaming. They never thought Grev, playful, immature, carefree Grev, capable of such seriousness and insight; but Uma knew otherwise, she knew her mate was as wise as Brac and a better hunter than Durc or even Groob. She had been disappointed at being given to him as his mate, considering him irresponsible, but living with the cheerful young hunter changed her mind and now she was very happy and very proud of him.

- Now that you say it, brother, - said Brac, - I've been feeling that way ever since we learned Ayla was not dead.

It was very late that night when Ranec walked to his clan hearth with his mate, after a long evening of conversation with Goov.

- Y would never have imagined flatheads were like this, - said quietly Masuko, coming into the sleeping furs she shared with Ranec, - they almost seem people.

- They are people, Sukie, - said Ranec, - of a different kind to be sure, but people nonetheless. And you should not call them flatheads anymore, now that you know; they are Clan. - and Ranec added the proper gesture to the word.

- Clan?

- Yes, but you move your hand like this when you say the word. Actually the gesture means Clan, the spoken word is only for emphasis.

- How do you know so much about flathe… Clan? And why did you never tell about them? Not even to me! Your mate!

- I know because I had a brother who was mixed, like Durc, - said Ranec, - and I didn't tell you because that story is mostly about a woman I loved so much that I left my people when she decided to mate another man. I am so sorry, Sukie, but I was afraid to talk with you about another woman. A woman I had loved so much.

- Was she… Clan? - he felt her stiffening under his touch.

- No, she was like Ena, - he said, - raised by the Clan. Very wise, a woman of great spiritual power, the best healer I've ever known of, a searcher and a caller; adopted to the Mamut hearth by Old Mamut himself. - The legend of the unbelievably old shaman of the mamutoi was known even as far as the Sabanii.

- Was she… pretty?

- Yes, she was. Tall, blue eyed, golden haired, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, - said Ranec, smiling, - until I saw you.

- Wait! Stop! I can't! - said Masuko while Ranec tried to climb on her, kissing her all over - There is no privacy here! Everybody is looking at us!

- Nobody is looking at us, - said Ranec, insisting, - they never look inside other people's hearths. And you shouldn't look either, or they will think you are very impolite, not well raised, low status…

And as Ranec continued whispering in her ears, Masuko succumbed, as she always did, to his great charm and his love for her. But Ranec was wrong on one count; from the neighboring hearth, Ura, being as inconspicuous, almost invisible, as only a clan woman could be, couldn't take her eyes of them. She had talked with her friend, Ena, about her "playing wolves" with Durc and was curious about the mating customs of those Others; she would find a way to talk with Brac about it, Ena seemed to enjoy that wolf game with Durc and Uky seemed to enjoy herself quite a lot too.

The following morning Groob, Brac, Grev and Durc, took Ranec "hunting" to the hillsides, and ended up talking about Clan and Other's ways and customs; while Igra, Ura, Uma and Ena went to "visit" Masuko, and ended up cooking together and learning a lot about each other's ways despite the difficulties in communication.

After lunch, Brac invited Ranec and Masuko to come into the sacred second cave, along with Durc, Grev, Groob and their mates. The invitation had been suggested by Ranec so he could tell the story of Ayla to Durc, his mate and his friends, as well as to his own mate.

- The story begins one day almost winter, - began Ranec, talking both in clan and in mamutoi, to the assembled group, - I come back to Lion Camp with young brother who stay all summer in other camp, learning craft. Young brother is toolmaker like Groob. I see two horses standing close to cave, strange horses, not afraid of people. Then I find two visitors, man and woman; the horses, I am told, answer to the woman. The man was Jondalar, the woman was Ayla. That evening all camp gather, like clan last night, and Jondalar and Ayla tell their stories….

The storytelling took all the afternoon and Ranec held nothing to himself; everything was out and said. The story of Baby, and the story of Whinney. The story of Racer, and the story of Wolf. The story of the discovery of the fire stone, the invention of the spear thrower and the invention of the thread puller. The story of Rydag, the sick mixed boy who couldn't talk and who many considered an animal, not a person; and his clan funeral conducted by Ayla. But most of all, it was the story of Ayla, her infinite medical knowledge, her searching with Old Mamut, her calling the mighty beasts to the mammoth hunters, her pain over Durc, her wisdom about people, his love for her and her love for Jondalar.

Many questions were made, most by Durc, but also many by Brac, Ena, Ura, and Masuko. At the end, only Uma and Igra hadn't asked questions; it was not in their nature. Durc asked about Ayla, the lion, the horses and the wolf; about Jondalar and about her memories of him. Ena asked about medicine and female magicians, about Rydag and the feelings of the Others for the Clan, and about Ayla's theories on mixed children and babies being started by the men. Ura asked about the hunting women and the female leaders. Masuko asked mostly about Ranec's feelings for Ayla and Ayla's feelings for Ranec.

Brac was more interested in the spiritual matters, he asked about the Old Mamut and the Mother; then he told about Creb, the great Mog-ur-One-Eye, and Ursus. He also asked about the calling and the searching gifts, and, in particular, about the spring ceremony when Ayla and Old Mamut almost got lost in the spirit world.

- I was there, - he said, raising the curiosity of Ranec and Masuko, - I saw Ayla and Old Mamut; I saw Jondar, and I also see you, Rec. That is when I know Ayla is not dead.

The revelation is a stunning blow on Masuko's previous beliefs about flatheads, especially when, after being prompted by Ranec, Brac told the entire story of the discovery of his own searching powers.

- And you can take other untrained men with you when you search? - such power was unheard of.

- Yes I can, - said Brac, - at least clan men. But it takes a lot of effort, it drains me a lot; it is far easier with the trained minds of other mog-urs and their acolytes.

- Can you take me with you? - asked Ranec, suddenly very excited.

But it was nothing compared with Durc's agitation.

- If you take Rec and me with you, - asked the young mixed man, - can we go and find Mama?

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

At about noon he following day, Ranec and Durc were seated on the ground around a ceremonial fire in the second cave, one to the right and the other to the left of Brac, who was holding a bowl with the magic datura preparation; but they were not alone, Grev was there with the ceremonial drum, and Goov was present too. Masuko had argued forcefully to participate, but Brac had been adamant; no women were allowed. This was a clan ceremony and, despite whatever Ranec said about women mog-urs, he just wouldn't risk angering the clan's totem spirits. Goov, informed of Brac's plan, decided that the private ceremony was exactly what he needed to assess Ranec's spiritual standing and insisted in his own participation, "to help Brac". Groob was still uncomfortable about Ayla's death-cursed-but-alive status and declined to participate; although he would never admit it he was actually afraid that they might succeed in finding her.

- How do you plan to search for her? - asked the clan's mog-ur - Won't she be too far away?

- Rec knows the way they were going, - said Brac

- Jondalar explained us how to get to his people, - confirmed Ranec, - in case anyone wanted to journey that way. I know I can find the Mother River; I've crossed it twice on my journey. We must follow it to its source and then cross a small glacier; I am not so sure after that, though, but I know it is west and a little south.

- We will follow that route as far as we can hear the drums, - decided Brac, - but we come back as soon as we begin to lose their sound. I am not planning on getting lost in the spirit world.

Grev nodded, looking very serious, he was to be in charge of the drums and there was nothing of the high spirited carefree Grev in the young man there. They all knew there were real dangers in what they planned to do that day, but all of them had their own reasons. Goov knew he just had to know; and seeing Ayla alive was the only way to know for sure. Brac was young and impetuous; he wanted to find out just how far he could search. Although he never showed it outwardly, so strong was his trained self control, he was just as adventurous as Grev; deep inside, the two brothers were more alike than anyone would think. Durc wanted vehemently to face his mother, he had to ask the question; he understood her, now, but he just had to ask her. Why? Why did you leave me? And Ranec, he had two powerful reasons. First, he had to see her to know for sure that he had really gotten over losing her, he could not live with Sukie unless he knew, not now that she knew; and second, he knew that losing Durc had been, for Ayla, the hardest part of leaving, so he wanted to do this as a gift for her, his parting gift.

Half a world away to the west, a man was nervously looking at four others, gathered around a fire too; his forehead was frowning with concern, his hands twisting with anguish. He had accepted Ayla's training for the Zelandonia as inevitable, but it had never ceased to worry him. That summer the Lanzadonii were holding their first summer meeting, and Ayla and Jondalar had decided to accept Dalanar's invitation. Two new Lanzadonii caves had been opened last year when several families had decided to join them after the Zelandonii summer meeting where Joplaya and Echozar were mated; and now that they had their own first Lanzadoni, having convinced a young shaman to join them, they were no longer going to the Zelandonii summer meetings. That day Lanzadoni was taking advantage of Ayla's presence to have her helping him with two young acolytes going in their first search. For almost a whole year Ayla had been training under Zelandoni, refining her Searching and Calling gifts as well as her Medical knowledge, but the memory of that almost fateful spirit journey with the old Mamut of Lion Camp still haunted Jondalar.

Ayla felt entirely confident, floating in the mist of the spirit world while she assessed the spiritual presence of Lanzadoni and his two acolytes; she knew Jondalar would be worried but she had done this many times now, he would have to get used to it eventually. Soon she became aware of Lanzadoni and the youngest of his acolytes, a young girl who had undergone her rites of first pleasures barely a week before, but the other acolyte was nowhere to be found.

- Don't worry, - Lanzadoni's voice filled her head without any discernible sound, - he is not lost, he is just not coming.

Too bad, Ayla had been told that this was to be the third attempt for the young man; it seemed that he simply did not have the Gift. The mist began to clear, as the familiar floating sensation told Ayla that Lanzadoni was beginning the search, being herself just an acolyte, she followed the young shaman's guidance. They were going east, close to the glacier she and Jondalar had crossed two winters ago; Ayla looked at the large range of ice thinking in the people that lived across it, people she already missed and longed to see again. Madenia, the young losadunai girl with whom she identified herself. Yorga, the young pregnant clan woman with the incredibly blond hair and her mate, Guban who was now kin. Losaduna, Solandia and so many more friends lived just across the ice. They were traveling north again, along the western face of the glacier, always looking for game, when it happened. The mist thickened around her, as in her dreams on the long journey, and Creb came again to her, covered in his ceremonial Cave Bear cloak.

The cloak covered clan magician made a formal greeting gesture. With both hands! It was not Creb! Aylas's blood chilled while she looked for help from Lanzadoni, but soon she understood that he could not help her, he was not sharing her vision. Remembering that other time, at the Clan Gathering, she broke contact with Lanzadoni just as Creb had broke contact with the other mog-urs back then. She was afraid, terrified, but she could not help herself; she felt herself irresistibly drawn to the mysterious mog-ur. Looking away, in the most approximate imitation of seating on the ground she was capable of, Ayla waited. The tap on her shoulder felt like a bunch of snow, sliding down on her back.

- Ayla! Is this you, or are you a spirit?

- Goov! I am sorry! This unworthy woman meant not disrespect, Mog-ur. It was the surprise. This is me, but I am visiting the spirit world. This woman is alive, and training under a female Mog-ur of the Others as her acolyte. This woman would know how did you find her, and what do you want from her.

- I did not find you, woman of the Others, Brac did. The man of the Others, Rec, showed us the way; and your son, Durc, wanted us to find you.

- Rec?

- Ranec, my beautiful promised, I remembered the route as Jondalar explained it. But how did you know we were coming? How did you find us? Are you really here? I can't see you, but I feel you inside my mind, and inside my soul.

The mist began to clear, a little, and Ayla could see the clouded outline of several figures accompanying Goov. She knew who was there, she could feel their presence, and now she could see them if only as shadows.

- Ranec! My dear, dear friend, I can feel you are happy now. Did you mate Tricie? How did you find my clan?

- I am happy, yes, but I was devastated when you left. I left the mamutoi and traveled south to meet my mother's people. I did no find them but I found Durc, I met many new people, I found a woman to love and to mate, and I am visiting the Clan in my way back.

Ranec could feel the sweet sensation of relief growing inside Ayla. She loved Jondalar alright, but she loved him too and she worried about him. He discovered that he loved her too, he still loved her; but it was different now, it was just the same kind of love she felt for him. He was free at last; free to be happy with Sukie.

- Brac! Is this true? Are you a powerful mog-ur now? Is Grev, then, going to be the next leader?

- No, and no. I am just an acolyte, but I discovered this searching while trying to reproduce old Mog-ur's ceremony with the sacred root. I can search without the root now, and I can take other men with me in my search, even untrained men; but of course it is easier with other mog-urs. And Grev is not going to be the next leader, Durc is.

- Durc! My baby, my son, you are a man now! Look how tall you are, so big, so powerful, and future leader! What happened? Did you mate Ura? Is she a good mate? Has she given you children?

- Why? Why Mama! Why?

- You were so young, I was so young! - Ayla felt her hearth break in little pieces, she knew very well what was Durc asking, she had asked that same question herself so many times - You wouldn't be alive now if I hadn't given you to Ura, neither would I my son. There hasn't been a day that my hearth doesn't ache for your absence; there hasn't been a night that I don't look for you in my dreams.

Ayla's suffering was plain for all of them; they were sharing each other's minds and hearts. Durc's heart ached too; ached for her mother's leaving and ached for her suffering, and he new the later was his fault.

- Forgive me Mama! I miss you so much! You weren't there to see my fox, my first kill. You weren't there for my manhood hunt, or for my mating. I love Uba, she has been a wonderful mother, but I wanted you to be there; I always wanted you, I love you so much, I miss you so much. I am a man now, and I am whimpering like a child, that is how much I miss you.

- I miss you too my son, but tell me. How is it that you are going to be the next leader?

- Broud broke a leg in a hunt, it didn't heal right, Vorn is the leader now. But Grev might still be leader; if Broud hunts again, Vorn will hand him the leadership back.

- And Ura? You must be mated now. Does she have any children yet?

- Yes she has, a boy named Rec; but he is the son of Brac's hearth, Ura is Brac's mate.

- And you? She was supposed to be your mate! It was arranged! Who are you going to mate now?

- I am mated, her name is Ena and she is just like you; but for her black hair and green eyes. A medicine woman, almost, and a woman of the Others. She has no children, but we have not been mated two moons yet.

- That is wonderful, I am so happy I could cry. You know, when my eyes water, it can be that I hurt too much, but it can be that I am too happy; you must know that, because, What is her name? Ena, her eyes will water too.

- They do, she cry when Uka die and she cry when we were mated. She is a very good mate, she cares for me, and she is a good friend of Ura. She is a very good medicine woman too; one day she will be as good as Uba, even better. Ranec says you are.

- I am sure she will be, but I am not. I am still learning, there is so much to learn, a medicine woman never stops learning. This I have learned, if Ena ever has children, don't be too quick to consider them deformed; the spirits of the mother and of the man whose totem starts the baby do mix, and Ena's babies will be more Others than Clan if it is your totem the one that defeats hers. Don't let anyone tell you that they are deformed. By the way, what is her totem?

- The wolverine, I know it is strong but I am not worried; your totem is the Cave Lion, and you had me. Also I have promised her to never allow a baby of hers to be left to die. And, speaking of strong totems, what is Jondar's totem? Have you had any more babies?

- Jondalar's totem is the Cave Lion; he was chosen, like me. And I have one daughter, Jonayla, your sibling; she hasn't finished her birth year yet. I can see that you love your mate, and I can't see how could she not love you. I know you are going to be very happy together, and that makes me very happy too. But listen to me, my son; if you are not the next leader, if Broud regains leadership, you will have to leave the Clan with Ena. And if Brac cares for Ura, he should go with you too.

- Leave? Leave the clan?

- Yes, like Durc of the legend, or you won't be able to keep your promise. Don't go to the Others; they hate the Clan, they say the Clan are animals, like hyenas, they will call you and the sons of your hearth horrible disgusting things, half people half animals. You can go to the Lion Camp, though, it is Ranec's Clan. Ranec is a good man, one of the best there is; you can trust him with your life, he will do everything in his power to help you. And you can trust the people of Lion Camp too; but it is best if you find your own home. When my mother Iza died, she told me to leave the clan. "Find your own people" she said; but I did not leave, and I ended up losing you. Don't let that happen to you; there must be others like you, like Ura, find them and leave the Clan. If you are not going to lead, leave the Clan, my son, leave the Clan…

The mist thickened around her as she lost contact with the clan group. She felt cold and she felt alone, so lonely, and so much alone…

- Durc! Goov! Brac! Ranec! Durc! Duuuuuuuurrrc…!

- Maammaaaaaa…! Mmaaaaa…!

- Ayla! Oh Doni, not again! Ayla! - Jondalar was taking his mate's cold face in both hands trying to wake her up, when, slowly, her eyes opened.

- Don't worry, my love, I am fine, - she said while her eyes flooded with tears.

- You are not fine! - he said - You are cold as dead, and crying! - Her tears were still something he could not stand. - You'v been gone for so long! Lanzadoni said that you broke contact and went away, that he could not follow you. Where did you go? Why do you do this to me?

Ayla smiled behind her tears, with that smile that never failed to melt her mate like the fire melted the snow.

- Durc! - she said, - I found Durc, Jondalar, I found my son!. And I don't do this to you, silly. Please don't worry, my sweet mate, I am really alright; I've never been better and I couldn't be happier.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

All of the Clan hunters, and most of the women, were on their way to the steppes; they were on an extended hinting trip after a large herd of bison found by Brac while returning from his Ayla encounter. Vorn had granted Broud's request to join the hunting expedition, and the man of the Others had been invited to join the Clan on a hunt for the first time; Goov had requested to stay to protect the cave and Vorn got the clear impression that the clan's magician had lost the edge, he would be staying home more and more often in the future.

Ranec was very excited about going along; he was impressed by the Clan society, far more advanced and sophisticated than anyone could have imagined, and had been most impressed by Brac's power. He knew he had no other Gift than his art, and had never been more interested in the spirit world than any other normal young man; but sharing the search with the Clan magician and his young acolyte, without having any talent for it, had been for the mamutoi artist a mind-blowing experience that would forever change his life and his art. He remembered what Old Mamut had told about his own Clan experience and was now eagerly anticipating the hunt ceremony that he knew was coming and in which he hoped to participate.

Masuko had been, once again, excluded from all male activities, and allowed to join the hunting party only as one of the women. Not wanting to offend neither Clan nor Others spirits, Vorn had ruled that she would be permitted to hunt as long as she hunted alone or with her mate; she was not to touch any clan weapon and Ranec would not use any weapon touched by his mate when hunting with the Clan. After long consideration, Brac's request, on behalf of his own mate, that Clan women were allowed to accompany her just as they did with the male hunters, was granted; but it was made clear that they could not touch her weapons. Masuko was fuming, but Ranec convinced her that it was pointless to offend the spiritual beliefs and traditions of their hosts. They could still hunt together and she could go hunting by herself accompanied by Ura and Ena whom, despite the communication limitations, she had befriended in the couple of days they were with the Clan.

After traveling all day at a deliberate pace, normal for the clan but exhausting for Ranec and Masuko, the hunting party found the bison herd just before sunset. They were upwind from their intended prey and the bison were traveling downwind towards a river, so they moved to one side of the herd's track before setting camp. That night all the hunters, included Ranec, gathered to plan the hunt.

- The bison are on the move, - said Vorn, - heading downwind, and there is no tall grass around here to hide. The herd is too big and traveling too fast to go around it, so we will be approaching from upwind and without cover; it will be very difficult to get close enough even for the flying spears. If anyone has a good plan I would like to hear it.

- There cannot be a good plan, said - Crug, - if the plan is to hunt in these conditions. We should follow the herd until they find better grass and slow down. We can go around then, and approach from downwind.

- We might have to do that, - said Vorn, - but it could take a couple of days, maybe more.

- There is a good sized river ahead, - said Borg, the young hunter had scouted the lay of the land earlier that afternoon - the herd will get there tomorrow by noon. We can hunt them when they get there.

- Too dangerous, - countered Vorn, - the herd is too big. Trapped between the river and the hunters the bison might turn on us; we wouldn't survive if that happened. Rec! what would your people do?

- I think we wait, - said Ranec, - better opportunity like Crug say. Could be days too.

- What would you do then, - Vorn was curious about Other's hunting methods, - how would you hunt?

- If few hunters, - said Ranec pointing at Vorn, Crug and himself, - stalk herd, throw all spears to one animal, ensure kill. If many hunters, and he made a circular motion around all hunters, build surround, trap bison, kill many.

- What is "ssrond"? - asked Grod, Ranec had used the mamutoi word for it.

Ranec tried to explain the concept but, without having actually seen one, the Clan hunters were unable to imagine it. Only Durc seemed to grasp the idea.

- Like closed canyon but built with trees? - asked the young Clan hunter.

- Yes! - said Ranec - Bison cannot go, hunters throw spears, many spears.

- No trees here, - said Grod. It was too difficult to picture the concept of something not in their memories, and it was a useless effort since there were no trees. The experienced former second-in-command discarded the concept entirely.

- Broud would talk! - The former leader's formality surprised everyone and got him everyone's attention.

- Broud may talk, - said Vorn.

- The Bison will stop by the river tomorrow - said the former leader - and the river lies downwind from the herd. If a few hunters approach carefully, they could set the grass in fire and the wind would take the fire to the bison. The herd would panic, most will cross the river, but many will run along the riverbank; some upriver, most downriver.

- We can dig pit traps by the riverbank! - said Durc receiving immediately a dark look from Broud and disapproving nods from most of the other hunters.

- Broud is talking, - said Vorn, sternly, - wait your turn!

- There is o time to dig, - said Broud, - the herd will be there tomorrow before noon.

Durc, embarrassed by his own lack of manners, looked down.

- This is what we do, - Broud's proven hunting instincts were working at full speed now, - we place our best hunters upriver, close enough to barely reach the riverbank with the spear throwers. The other hunters will set fire to the grass and then will chase the bison going upriver so they won't stop when approaching the stalking hunters. The bison will then pass between them and the river; they should be able to kill some.

- Like a pit trap, - said Ranec, - without the pit.

- Why not downriver? - asked Groob - You said most of the bison not crossing the river would go downriver.

Broud shook his head meaning tiredness over a not too intelligent question.

- Too dangerous, - explained Vorn, - I will be hard to tell how wide will the herd spread downriver; the hunters waiting might get stepped on. It is a good plan, Broud, I think we will do just that. Anyone else wants to say anything?

- One thing, - said Ranec and, after an approving nod from Vorn, continued, - best let first many bison go, if bison find dead bison ahead maybe run away from river, maybe over hunters.

The next morning, the Clan hunters deployed according to Broud's plan. Vorn, with Grod, Crug and Borg slowly approached the big herd widely spread along the riverbank. When it was evident that their presence was getting some young bulls too nervous, Vorn signaled; Borg ran halfway towards where the rest of the hunters were waiting, and relayed Vorn's command. The three older hunters used the firestones, and the fast-fire-making materials they had brought to start a raging prairie fire that, as Broud had predicted, was taken by the wind to where the bison were. A couple hundred animals ran upriver followed by the four clan hunters, including Borg, while several thousands ran downriver and much more thousands jumped into the river to attempt the crossing.

As the smaller herd stampeded towards them, Broud, Ranec, Groob, Brac, Grev and Durc, loaded their spear throwers and stood their ground, shaking. Almost half the bison had passed by when Broud yelled and launched his first spear; the former leader's aim was true and a young bull in its prime fell to the ground with its heart pierced by the weapon. All of the other hunters took it as a signal, and by the time the last bison disappeared over the horizon each of them had launched two or three spears. Nine animals of all sizes were lying dead along the blood covered riverbank, and two more followed the wake of the herd leaving a bloody trail, mortally wounded.

The carved spears of Durc and Ranec were easily recognizable, showing they had not failed a single throw, all three of Durc's spears and all four of Ranec's had found their mark. But they shared two of their kills, all of the dead animals had two or three spears on them save for the first one, killed by Broud with only one masterful throw. Another three bison had their hearts stabbed through, and it was conceded that those were Grev's spears, but the young hunter pointed to the other spears in the bison's bodies, including one of Ranec's, meaning the kills were shared. Right then Vorn arrived with Borg and Crug, followed a little later by Grod. Looking at the carnage the leader felt elated, this meant that they would not have to hunt so often now, and still would have enough meat stored for the winter long before the summer was over. Turning to look at his hunters, the leader made The Question.

- Who made the first kill?

Everyone was exhausted by the time the expedition arrived back home. They had only been gone for the duration of a woman's curse, but it seemed twice that time for all that had happened. While they had employed only a day getting to the hunting grounds, the journey back, heavily loaded, had taken twice that time. Also, processing the meat of nine full grown bison had demanded a monumental effort from the clan's women. But it had been done.

For a moment, it seemed that the meat was going to be too much for the women to carry, and Vorn had considered making two trips home; drying the meat on place, like in a mammoth hunt, had been another option. Taking the choicest parts and leaving the rest, like the Others did, was not considered, it went against thousands of years of Clan tradition. In the end, Ranec had come with the solution; chopping a couple young trees by the riverbank, the man of the others, with the help of his woman, made a strange wooden contraption that he called "a travois". With it, two men could haul a load equivalent to what all the clan's women could carry. Ranec had insisted that it had to be hauled by men, not by women, so Vorn had ordered that only two travois were to be made, he was not prepared to take more than four hunters off the protection duty. With so much meat, not less than six hunters were needed to protect the group. Once the group was packed and began the trip home, Vorn led the group followed by Uba and all the women, with Ranec and Durc pulling the first travois, Borg and Groob the second, and Brac, Grev and Broud walking at the rear end of the group, Grod and Crug flanked the group of heavily loaded travelers. Vorn would have preferred to have eight men free to guard the expedition, feeling that Grod and Crug were not enough to protect the flanks; but that would have meant leaving one travois behind so Vorn decided to risk it, not without consulting with his hunters first.

- I can protect the rear with the sons of my mate, said Broud, and if any danger comes from either side, one of them can run ahead to help Crug or Grod.

- We can put our spears and throwers on the "trois," said Groob, and if it comes to it, we can drop the trois and take our weapons.

- That is exactly what mamutoi do, - said Ranec, - I carry spears, thrower, in basket on back. Ready to throw fast.

It was clear that nobody wanted to stay to process the meat, much less to leave one travois behind. But Vorn still doubted. The safety of his clan was, still, his main concern.

- Two bison escaped wounded, - said Grod.

- The wounds were fatal, - confirmed Crug, - we would have followed them if we did not have so much kills. Those bison will keep the other predators and scavengers away from us providing we leave fast.

And that, finally, convinced Vorn; not only were all his men eager to leave, but it was also the safest course of actions. The Clan left early and traveled the whole day stopping only at noon for a short rest. When they set up camp for the night, Ranec's shoulders were all sore, scratched and covered with blood; Uba and Ena treated him, but Ranec was surprised to see that neither Durc, nor any of the other two clan hunters pulling travois were hurt in the slightness.

The second day Vorn ordered a switch, Grod and Grev took the first travois while Crug and Brac took the second; Borg and Groob took then the rear with Broud while Ranec and Durc covered the flanks. It was late evening when the group finally arrived to The Den, but the exhaustion did not prevent the Clan from honoring the spirits of the totems with a celebration. A succulent meal of fresh, tender bison meat, accompanied with fresh and cooked vegetables was prepared by the women. A hunt dance, a vivid recreation of the incredibly successful bison hunt, was performed, not only for the benefit of the protective totem spirits but also as a way to teach the young, to impress the women and, most important, to firmly engrave the experience in their phenomenal inheritable memories. For Ranec and Masuko, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience; the dance was so evocative that Ranec felt like if he was there again, and had no problem doing his part. For Broud, it was renaissance; for the first time, after almost four years, he was, once again, leading a hunt dance. After the feast, the dance and the storytelling, the hunters went inside the second cave for their own private ceremony, to offer thanks to the Clan Totems for such a successful hunt. Ranec was invited to join them.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

- I had never seen so many bison together in my life, - said Masuko, she and Ranec were hunting together in the hillsides close to the cave, but they were paying more attention to their conversation than to finding game, - I have seen very little bison in fact; they are not so common where I live.

- It is because of the steppes, - said Ranec, - the Sabanii territory is mostly mountains and valleys. But I had never seen so many either, this herd was at least ten times bigger than I had ever seen before. They don't gather in so big numbers in the north, where the mamutoi live, but I had heard of such big herds from the Sungaea; their territory is mostly between the clan and the mamutoi, I think theirs is the best hunting territory.

- How was it? - asked Masuko - The ceremony, I mean. You were not yourself last night, and you slept late; you never sleep late.

- It was amazing, he said, I could see my memories of childhood, and strange memories too, very ancient, of Wymez, and of my mother too; and more ancient memories, some that I could not understand. But I tell you this, in the beginning there were no humans and Clan, there was only people. Then we were all clan, and then we changed into what we are now; but some people did not change, they are still Clan.

- Do you at least understand yourself?

- I am not sure, - said Ranec thoughtful, - you should come with me in one such trip to the spirit world to understand. And there is more. Goov says that the mog-ur before him could control the minds of all the other men and guide them to their beginnings, the beginning of life; but he does not have that power, we were all just drifting through our memories without control. But I tell you this, in the beginning there were no humans and Clan, there was only people. Then we were all clan, and then we changed into what we are now; but some people did not change, they are still Clan.

- You are getting crazy, my love, crazier than you already were. - Masuko hid her worry with the banter - Are you now going to join the sabania, or the mamuti?

- I have no talent for that, he answered, but I sure want to repeat this experience, and I would like you to do the same. There will be a woman's ceremony tonight, and another men's ceremony.

- What is the occasion?

- Goov says today is Summer Day, whatever it means, and he is planning a big ceremony; he is going to reveal the totems of the babies born this last year, and he is raising Ena to the status of Medicine Woman in the same ceremony…

- Hey! Look! - Masuko was suddenly alert - Fresh blood in the bushes, and wolf tracks!

Fearing a dangerous encounter with a wounded wolf, Ranec and his mate began to follow the tracks, only to find a big dead wolf lying under a tree.

- Looks like as if he was on a big fight, said Ranec examining the dead body.

- Yes, and he lost, - said Masuko taking out her knife to skin the wolf. There was no point in loosing a wolf pelt.

- By the look of the tracks, - said Ranec, - he was wounded sometime yesterday and crawled here to die. But he died just about now, the body is not cold yet.

- Well, whoever killed him made you a favor, - said Masuko, - just wait to see what I can make you with this.

And making a roll with the wolf pelt, she put it in her carrying bag and they both began to walk back to the cave.

Ranec and Masuko arrived to the cave in the early afternoon, on time for the ceremonies. Totem ceremonies were usually held at dawn, before the spirits dispersed around for the day, but the making of a new medicine woman, just like the making of a new hunter, was almost always done at dusk. It was considered a major event, since it meant the elevation of a Clan member to a higher status in the spirit world. Even if she did not talk to the spirits nor they talked to her, the medicine woman dealt with evil spirits her whole life, fighting them. She was also the keeper of the magical black stone that held the spirits of all the clan members, and not only her own clan but the whole Clan of the Cave Bear. Such ceremony was always followed by a large feast, made possible by the successful bison hunt, and two private esoteric ceremonies, one for the men and one for the women.

After Goov painted the sacred esoteric markings on Ena's naked body, for the first time in her life, and introduced her to the clan's protective spirits asking them to help her in her fight against the evil ones, the mog-ur presented the new medicine woman with the small manganese dioxide stone that gave her the highest status among the women of her clan. Second only to other medicine women, more experienced, or born to a higher ranked line; Ena's status among her people was ensured for life.

The Totem ceremonies were conducted to the full satisfaction of the children's mothers and their mates; with the years, Goov had become good at discovering the protective spirits of the clan's youngsters. Broud almost exploded with pride when the mog-ur announced that the Wooly Rhinoceros was the totem of Oga's youngest son, Brooz. Uba could barely maintain her composure when baby Ila was delivered into the protection of the Saiga Antelope, Iza's totem. Brac, on his part, was fully satisfied to learn that Rec's totem was, indeed, the Bison; it was not only late Brun's totem but it was the first totem revealed to him. Even if he had not talked about it with Goov, he had had strong feelings about it during the last bison hunt, and now Goov had just confirmed them.

After the feast, the children were mildly sedated and put to sleep and the women began their dance while the men disappeared into the second chamber of the cave. The strange, compelling, relentless rhythm of the clan ceremonial drums, played by Uba and Ena, took hold of Masuko, and soon she found herself dancing around the fire just like one more clan woman. The drinking and the dancing went well past midnight, before the exhausted women fell asleep to the ground.

-It was the most incredible experience, - told Masuko to her mate, the next morning, - it gives a whole new meaning to the word intense; pretty much like a Mother festival, but without pleasures, and much more frenetic.

- A Mother festival without pleasures? And you enjoyed it?

- Enjoy it I did, - said Masuko coming all over her mate, - and I bet you can fix the Pleasures part right now.

It was well past noon when Masuko finally walked out of her hearth to look for what she needed to work in her wolf. The processing of the wolf pelt to make a soft fur out of it, turned out to be a surprise; but it wasn't Ranec the one surprised by Masuko's skill, it had been she the one surprised by the clan women's. When the woman of the Others first took the pelt to Durc's hearth and tried to get the required tools and materials from Ena, a difficult task given the lack of a common language, she excited the curiosity of Ura and Uma as well. It was common practice for clan women to compare their skills in curing hides and furs at the Clan Gatherings, and they were curious to see just how skilled that strange woman was. Her traveling clothes, strange as they were, did not speak so well for her, but they were old and worn by use as expected from long used traveling outfits; this was the time to really assess her skill. Trying to make a good impression on the strange woman, Uma took a wolf fur that her mother, Oda, had cured and given to her before she mated, and brought it to Durc's hearth to show it to the stranger. Masuko was a trader, and not too adept at domestic tasks like working furs and hides, but the Sabanii were noted for their technique with furs and her mother was still considered the best; Masuko was sure she could impress any non-Sabanii with what her mother had taught her. But when she touched the fur Uma gave her, she was left open mouthed; it was unbelievably, no, impossibly soft and pliable. So, with the help of Ranec for translation, she asked Uma to show her the Clan's technique.

The wolf pelt was not only discussed by the women; the men also gathered to debrief Ranec.

- …and there it was, - said Ranec, concluding his retelling, - it cannot be long time dead. Me guess it fight other wolf, lose fight, go there to die. Much blood all around, wolf bled to death.

- I think this was the old leader of the wolfpack that lives nearby, - said Crug, - maybe other wolf fought for leadership and there is a new pack leader now.

- I am sure it is, - said Brac, - I am sure I saw tracks of a young adult wanderer before the bison hunt. I told Vorn.

Vorn assented with his head and asked - Could it be the white wolf that was lurking around here last summer?

- I don't think so, - said Grod, - the white one fought and lost, later stole one female and ran away. It must have started a new pack away from here; this must be a new wolf.

Most hunters nodded agreement. They respected and valued the experience of the oldest hunter of their clan. Durc was pensive.

- The old leader, - said Groob, - had learned to keep his pack away from us. Maybe this new leader will act differently, maybe the wolves will try to attack us, our pregnant women or our children.

Groob was genuinely worried, after all those years, Igra was finally pregnant.

- Maybe we should go after the wolves, - agreed Borg, - kill them all or, at least, chase them away from our territory.

Norm was already in his learning year and liked to wander around the cave trying to kill his first small animal; this was the worst time to begin having problems with the wolves

- Maybe we will have to do that, agreed Vorn, but this is a very large pack and they know us very well after all this years. It will not be easy, and it will be very dangerous; we better wait and see what the wolves do.

- Broud would speak! - again, the former leader surprised everyone with his exaggerated formality.

- Broud may speak, - answered Vorn.

- I say Vorn is right, - said Broud, - it is too dangerous to go after the wolves; but Groob is right too, they might come after our women and children. I say we must double the vigilance and the protection of women and children, then wait and see. If there are problems with the wolves we don't have to kill them all, we kill the new leader; without him, the pack will stay away from us as they are used to.

All the hunters agreed; Broud had stayed out of their circle for so long that they had almost forgotten just how vast his knowledge of hunting and competing four legged hunters was.

Walking back to his hearth, accompanied by Brac, Groob, Grev and Ranec, Durc was still thinking about the behavior of the neighboring wolf clan; they were intelligent animals with a complex social behavior, so much alike to men in some traits and so different in others. And they were the embodiment of his totem, the Spirit of Gray Wolf.

- Ena! - he said upon entering his hearth - You are not to go walking around the cave alone anymore. There is a new wolf leader in the pack that lives nearby; the wolves might become more aggressive.

- The same goes to you, - said Brac to Ura, - never leave Rec on the ground outside the cave unless there are many hunters all around, and… - the acolyte was not sure how to say it, or if it was appropriate, but little Rec and his mother meant more than life to him, - …always take with you that new cooking tool of yours when you are out of the cave. - And having said that, he stormed out of Durc's hearth and headed to Mog-ur's hearth, his entire body language implying he had urgent important business to deal with.

Similar orders given by the other hunters, as they also left Durc's hearth with their mates, made the women really nervous. Masuko did not understand any of the signs, but got the feeling that they were talking about her wolf pelt.

- What is the problem Ranec? - she asked as soon as they entered their own temporary hearth - Is there any problem with my wolf pelt? I am not giving it up no matter what, so be advised.

- There is no problem with your pelt, Sukie, the problem is with the one that made it a pelt. - and Ranec explained to his mate what had been said at the men's meeting.

- This Broud is a wise fellow, - said Masuko, - he seems to know a lot more than he appears to.

- He was the leader, - explained Ranec, - until a hunting accident forced him to step down; his knowledge of wild animals, the hunted and the hunters, is amazing. But be very careful around him, he is a cruel vicious man, I knew of him from Ayla; be very careful around him.

Almost alone in her hearth, accompanied only by Ura who made herself almost invisible as a courtesy to her friend, Ena sat in front of her mate requesting his attention; Durc tapped, immediately, her shoulder.

- There is a new wolf leader, - said the clan's second medicine woman, - that means that all the baby wolves will die. Isn't that so?

- Yes, that is so; they are most probably dead already.

- Does the hunter remember the last time we talked about wolf babies?

- Yes, - said Durc, first curious about how much affected seemed to be his mate by the fate of some wild animals, and almost immediately remembering where that conversation had taken them to, - I remember that conversation very well; all of it. What are you trying to tell me, medicine woman?

- This woman is pregnant, - said Ena looking to the ground, her fears evident to her mate, - the baby will be born next year, early in spring.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Six reindeer were the result of the second hunt where Broud participated, and it took the women two trips to bring all the meat to the cave even if two deer were carried by the men, one in each trip, to be processed at home. The deer hadn't been found by Brac's searching but by Broud, himself, from the old lookout; less than half a morning away from the cave, and with only half the available hunters, the hunt had been an easy affair. Vorn, Borg and Grev, along with the man of the Others, had accompanied Broud in this short expedition, while the other five hunters and the mog-ur had stayed protecting the children and the women that stayed at the cave.

After Ranec arrived to the cave in the first trip back, helping Vorn, Grev and Borg to carry home the first of the deer carried by the men, he stayed there to have his bruised and scratched back treated by Ena and Masuko. Grod took his place, returning with the women and the other three hunters to where Broud waited, protecting the rest of their kills.

- I knew flat… clan men were strong, - he said to his mate, sitting on the floor in Durc's hearth while Ena treated his back, - but these boys are amazing, Borg is not full grown yet and Grev is barely a child; still they carry the deer as easily as if it were a rabbit, while I, what can I say, just look at my back.

- But, my love, you are an artist, - said Masuko caressing his sore arms, - not a deer carrier. Besides, you are a fine hunter, and, - kissing his mouth, - more than strong enough for me.

Ranec returned the kiss and caressed his mate's small but hard and muscular body, making Ena and Durc curious of their behavior. The clan considered inappropriate such display of affection outside one's hearth, but these Others were caressing and licking each other's face all the time. Ena would die of shame before doing such a thing, but in the privacy of their own hearth, she and Durc had been mimicking what they saw Rec and Uky doing, and had been discovering a lot about their own bodies and their own tastes. Ena enjoyed herself so much with Durc, that she couldn't help but to talk about it with Ura, her best friend, who in turn, had been trying with moderate success to introduce her own mate to this new activities.

- That be all, - said Ena in barely passable mamutoi, - Rec put fur on back best next time carry deer.

Ena's incredibly fast progress in learning the spoken language never ceased to amaze Masuko, but Ranec remembered Ayla had showed the same skill. Of course he did not mention it, least of all to his mate, because the short tempered Sabanii woman he loved was, in her own words, "fed up with that perfect Ayla". Durc, the only other clan member capable of verbal speech, had also been learning the mamutoi language; while he seemed unable to get the right pronunciation of some words and could not grasp the trick on grammar and syntax, no matter how hard he tried, his vocabulary was already astounding. In Ranec's opinion, the young man had inherited his mother's phenomenal memory, and carried it to higher levels; he hadn't realized yet that it was a clan trait.

- Ranec, my love, - aid Masuko, - I am not sure, but I believe Ena has been talking about the new wolf leader killing the puppies born before he was leader; she seems to be affected somehow by the fate of those little wolves.

- Not only the puppies, their mother might have been killed too if she tried too hard to protect her young; you know that. But why are you suddenly so much interested in baby wolves?

- Trade! Have you seen the furs these clan women make? I can trade them and get…

- No you can't, - interrupted Ranec, - the furs are not yours and the Clan does not trade… as far as I know.

- No, but you know it will take the new wolf leader from two days to a week to kill the puppies. We could track him back to the female's den and get the pelts of the dead puppies, maybe that of their mother too; then we give them to Ena and Ura, they turn them into these wonderful furs and we give them one or two in payment.

- There is the Sabanii master trader speaking, - said Ranec smiling at his mate's enthusiasm, - but you know the saying; don't trade the pelt of a living wolf. Besides, we might not be able to find the wolf's den; it is usually very well hidden.

- Durc know!

- What? - Masuko turned her head, surprised to find out Durc had been listening to her conversation with Ranec. It was impolite from the young clan man to hear a private conversation, but they were in his hearth, and it had been impolite from them to leave him out of the conversation to begin with.

- Durc know den, Durc show. - He had been listening innocently, as Ena had been, driven only by their desire to learn the Other's language; but he also had a personal interest in the wolves, they were the embodiment of his Totem.

After a short conversation between Ranec and Durc, in a mixture of Clan signs and mamutoi words, the four of them agreed to go out next morning looking for the wolves. Brac and Grev would also be invited; it was a wise move especially if the women were going along. Planning was left for the night since Durc was being summoned by the mog-ur for a private meeting in the second chamber of the cave.

- I have an important decision to make, - said Vorn, - and I want your opinion, before making my mind, since you are the ones most affected.

The meeting included Goov the mog-ur, Brac his acolyte, Crug the second in command, Grev and Durc.

- Broud is hunting with the clan again, - continued Vorn, - and no only is he hunting but the last two hunts, under his strategy, were the most successful ever.

The five other men at the meeting looked at each other trying to guess each others thoughts; they all knew what this meeting was about.

- I made it clear, upon assuming leadership, - said Vorn confirming his men's suspicions, - that my intention was to hand back leadership to Broud if he ever recovered enough to hunt again. Broud is hunting, he is planning the hunts, and he has been respecting my authority without making any demands. I thing he is ready to lead again, I think he deserves to lead, I think he is our rightful leader. What do you think?

- I think you are right, - said Crug, - Broud is the rightful leader. The spirits have been good to us since you assumed leadership, which I think means it was right to make you leader then; but if you don't hand him back leadership, now that he is well again, the spirits might get angry and turn against us.

- I don't think so, - said Brac, - you have been a far better leader than Broud ever was. I doubt that we would still be first had Broud been the leader at the Clan Gathering. I doubt we would have taken in Ena, who now is an excellent medicine woman, and I doubt we would have tried these new Other's weapons which are, precisely, what have made possible for Broud to hunt again. I think we are better off with you as our leader, I think even Broud is. And I don't think the spirits would disapprove; as leader, you are the only one to decide when to step down if at all, there is nothing in the traditions against it.

- I won't state an opinion against or in favor of making Broud leader again, - said Grev, - because it would decide my position as possible future leader. All I say is, I know you are the best leader right now, I know Durc would become just as good a leader, I will support whatever decision you make.

- I say the same as Grev, - said Durc, - I know he would become as good a leader as you are now.

Goov looked around, there was one opinion in favor of Broud and one against; two in favor, counting Vorn's. He was reluctant to support Broud, the clan was doing so well under Vorn, but he knew that could change if the spirits got angry. Brac was right, there was nothing in the traditions forcing Vorn to step down again, but, in the other hand, there was Vorn's word. He had stated his intentions from the beginning. What if that was what the spirits approved?

But, what about Broud himself? Was he ready to lead again? He was less irascible now, more controlled; of course, he was older and presumably wiser. But was it true, or was he just bidding his time? He had looked mature and ready for leadership the first time, yet as soon as he had the power he used it in a very bad way. Was that going to happen again? What would he do if that happened? Brun was not there to help him anymore, and Grod had no heart for it now, either. And most important; what was the will of the spirits? Vorn had taken him by surprise; he had not had the time to meditate properly.

- I know that you feel bound by your words, - said the mog-ur, - but what the spirits care more is; what is best for your clan? You are the leader now, not Broud, and you must decide what is best for every member of your clan. If you thing that Broud is not going to be a better leader than you are, then you must not hand him back the leadership. But don't do it because of your words, a leader has not only the right but the obligation to change his mind when the circumstances force him to. I will not tell you which the best decision is, as leader, it is your decision to make; but if you put your pride on keeping your word before the interests of the people who depend on you, you will be acting wrong and you will raise the anger of the spirits.

- You are right, Mog-ur, it is my decision to make and I had already made it. I wanted to know your opinions, but nothing I have heard now makes me think my original decision was wrong. Tomorrow, at dawn, you will conduct the ceremony to reinstate Broud as leader of this clan. I will go to talk to Broud now.

Dawn found the clan gathered just outside the cave. Goov, dressed in full ceremonial outfit performed the required ceremony with as little enthusiasm as ever before; the ceremony making Broud leader was almost as fast as the one that took leadership of him four years ago. Upon finishing, Goov turned around and, followed by Brac, went into the cave, through it, and straight into the second chamber. It was done. Broud was once again the leader of the first clan.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Brac, Grev and Durc, with Ranec, Masuko, Ena and Ura, were stalking carefully and from a long distance the den of the female wolf; Uma had stayed in the cave, wanting nothing to do with the living wolves. After the ceremony Broud had called for a meeting to be held at sunset, and the small group decided to proceed with their planned expedition. The den looked empty, no signs of life around it; but that was just how it was supposed to look like, so Ranec suggested to approach, slowly, walking in circles around the den. They were doing just that when they found her.

- Look! - said Grev pointing to a dark spot under a fallen tree's exposed roots - That is the mother wolf!

- It is dead, - said Durc after carefully examining the carcass, - a couple of days now.

- The fur is ruined, - said Masuko, looking at the rotten carcass already eaten by the scavengers, - we are too late!

- Any sign of the puppies? - asked Ranec

- None, - said Grev.

- Maybe we should look at the den, - said Ranec, remembering the way Ayla got Wolf.

- But let's be very careful about that, - said Brac, - one of us tracks and the rest of us watch.

Soon the small group gathered around the mouth of the wolf's den.

- Can you hear anything? - asked Masuko.

- Nope, - said Ranec, - someone might have to go inside.

- Not me, - said Masuko

And although no one else said a word, all of their faces showed the same feeling. It was just as well, besides Ena and Masuko, all the others including Ura were bigger, if not taller than him.

- I am going in, - said Ranec, - but first let's make sure the wolf is not in there. And lighting a torch, the man of the Others tried to look into the dark den as far as he could.

- It looks empty, - he said, - and taking his knife went into the narrow opening feeling his way with his knife.

It was very dark, his own body blocking the light, but the den did not went too deep and soon he found its end. Feeling with his stretched hands to the sides, he soon found the cold bodies of four little wolf puppies, three actually, because the fourth was not so cold.

- I found them! - said Ranec, - Pull me out! It is too narrow to turn around or even to crawl back!

Masuko dived into the den, up to her waist, and taking her mate by the feet pulled him out. Once Ranec got out of the dark hole he showed his prize, four almost grown wolf puppies.

- These were almost ready to leave the den, - said Brac, - too bad.

- One is still alive, - said Ranec.

- Let me see it, - said Ena

- What for? - asked Masuko, - we will have to kill her anyway.

- No we don't; - countered Ranec - if she survives I am planning to keep her.

All of them had heard, from Ranec, the story of Wolf, the puppy raised by Ayla at Lion Camp, but no one had thought in actually taking in a living wolf. Masuko saw in her mate's eyes that he meant what he said, the other two women wouldn't even imagine questioning a man's decision, and the clan hunters were prepared to expect anything from the strange man of the Others. Ena, though, knew what was expected of her; she wouldn't dare to ignore a man's order, so she turned to examine the baby she-wolf.

- She has been bitten in the neck by a full grown wolf, - said the medicine woman, - she probably passed out and stopped breathing for a while, so the wolf thought she was dead and moved on to kill her siblings.

- Probably, - said Durc, who was examining the other three bodies, - these ones all have their necks broken. They were killed probably yesterday, but I think the furs can be saved.

- I will need a fire to make medicine for the little wolf, - said Ena, - not even bothering to suggest that the small predator was taken to the cave

- Let's set up camp in this clearing in front of the wolf den, - said Durc, - the fire will keep animals, including the other wolves, away.

In a moment, the women gathered dry wood for the men to start the fire, and arranged the area around the fire in a manner of a small campsite. Ranec and Masuko were impressed by their speed and efficiency.

While Ena boiled water and prepared a medicine to treat the young wolf's injuries, the rest of the group sat around the fire and began a conversation in mixed clan gestures and Mamutoi words.

- Are you sure there were no more puppies? - asked Masuko - Four puppies seem too few for a healthy female with a big pack.

- There were only the four, - answered Ranec

- We might find more bodies around, - said Grev, looking at the tracks around the camp.

And just as he had predicted, three more little bodies were found in the vicinity; but their pelts were completely destroyed. Only the bodies inside the den had stayed undisturbed; Durc got the feeling that if they had waited a couple days more the scavengers would have ventured inside the den too.

- Is she going to live? - asked Ranec.

- I don't know, - said Ena, - without her mother, I don't think so. She is dehydrated and hungry; I can treat her injures, but I have no wolf milk for her.

- I know how to feed her, - said Ranec, - I've seen it done before. Besides she is old enough to have begun eating meat.

- Broud will not let you take the wolf inside the cave, - said Durc, - Mama used to bring wounded animals into the cave to heal them, but never meat eaters; Brun didn't allow it Broud won't either.

- That is fine, - said Ranec, - it is time for us to leave, anyway, or we won't get home before the end of the summer meeting.

- That I won't find acceptable, - said Masuko, - you promised…

- And I will deliver, - said Ranec; - our mating will be recognized and you will be adopted into the Mamutoi this summer meeting.

- Are you not mated yet? - asked Brac, curious - You said she was your mate.

- She is, - explained Ranec, both in Clan and in mamutoi, - we mated at the Sabanii matrimonial, but the Mamutoi live so far away that her mother worried about our mating being recognized by my people. Mating involves serious obligations, and she worried that I could abandon her daughter alone and far away from home. Of course I would never do that, but she made me promise that I would have our mating recognized by the Mamuti.

- Mut..ti? Mut…toi? Why is that a different word? - Asked Brac

- The Mamuti are the mog-urs of the Mamutoi, - said Ranec - once our mating is recognized, she will become Sukie of the Mamutoi; she will always be taken care for even if we don't stay mated.

- Why change name? - asked Ena, encouraged by Masuko's attitude of never asking permission to speak.

- Name not really change, - said Ranec, - is same name but in Mamutoi language. In clan her name is Uky, and my name Rec; in Mamutoi your name would be Enie.

- So you leave today? - asked Durc.

- I would prefer to leave tomorrow morning, - said Ranec, - but if there are going to be problems with Broud, we would camp nearby tonight, probably just across the river, and leave early in the morning.

- I might have to leave soon too, - said Durc, thoughtful, almost to himself, - but maybe wait until spring. It is to late now to find new place and settle for winter.

Ena reacted with surprise and fear. Leave? Was her mate gone mad? In Spring when she was heavy with pregnancy or burdened with a newborn baby? Where would they go? What clan would want them? But she said nothing; a Clan woman never questioned her mate's decisions. Ura was just as surprised and looked into her friend's eyes offering support, but she did not say anything either.

- Leave? - exclaimed Grev - Are you nuts?

- We might have to, - said Brac, somberly, and it was Ura's turn to react with surprise and fear.

- Are you both crazy? - asked Grev - Why? And to where?

- Do you remember, - explained Brac, - when Broud was first made leader? He made it clear that he would not accept any deformed baby. And I am sure that he would not have accepted Rec. Ena is pregnant, her bay will be deformed just as Durc was, Broud will not allow it to live. I also worry for Igra, after all this years she is finally pregnant; what if her baby is of Durc's spirit? We are too close, the four of us, and our mates are in each other's hearths all the time; we even use each other's mates to relieve our needs when our own mate has her woman's curse. That is too close, any of our totem spirits could overcome any of our mate's; and if the spirits mix as Ranec says, and I think it is true, any of our mates could have a mixed baby who will be considered deformed by Broud… even Uma.

- Uma is not pregnant, - said Grev.

- But she will be, one day, - insisted Brac; - and what are you going to do? Are you going to forbid her visiting Durc's hearth? She and her sister are good friends with Ena, and Ena is Medicine woman. Are we going to stop being friends with Durc? Are we going to isolate Durc and Ena?

Grev's expression turned serious, but he said nothing. The women were present, as usually between the four friends (including Groob), but they did not dare to speak.

- Ayla was right - continued Brac, looking directly at Durc, - we may have to leave, eventually.

- Ayla? - asked Grev, surprised, - What do you mean Ayla?

- That time when we went searching for Mama, - answered Durc, - she said this would happen. She said that if Broud regained leadership, Brac and I would have to leave. It is too late in the season to start searching for a new cave now, but next spring, as soon as Ena's baby is born, I will leave. I will not have Broud killing Ena's baby only because he thinks it is deformed.

- I think you must not act recklessly, brother, - said Grev, - Broud has changed a lot; things might be different. I think you should wait and see.

- Maybe you are right, - said Durc, - maybe not. Broud has called for a meeting this afternoon, let's see what happens then.

- Speaking of meeting, - said Brac, - we must eat something and start back immediately if we don't want to be late for the meeting.

Hearing what her mate said, and before he had to tell her anything, Ura began to unpack the food they had taken for the trip, including some fat, fresh meat from the last hunt and some fresh vegetables, and began to prepare the meal, aided by Ena; Masuko went also to help, but she was more interested in learning the clan way to prepare meals than in actually helping.

After eating the soup and the spitted meat with cooked vegetables, the group started back to the cave, there was almost no conversation since everyone was concentrated in his, or her, own thoughts. Ranec and Masuko took stayed a little behind so they would be able to talk with some privacy.

- Is Durc serious? Would Broud order Ena's baby to be killed if it is mixed? Would the rest of the clan let him? The baby will most probably be mixed.

- Yes he would, - said Ranec, - it is their custom and it is his right. Besides, would it be any different if a Sabanii woman had a child of mixed spirits?

- No, it would be worse; she would be most probably killed along with her abomination. What would happen if I get pregnant from a Clan male spirit? We have been living in their cave several days. It could happen, you know.

- I don't think so, - said Ranec remembering Ayla's promise about Ralev, the child of his spirit born to Tricie, - but it is best if we leave soon. This little one here is the perfect excuse.

Ayla had told him that babies were started when a man shared pleasures with a woman. "I promise you this is true, and this promise cannot be broken" she had said; Ranec hadn't believed her then, but he wanted to believe now.

- They don't have to wait for next spring, you know, - said Masuko, - I can take a bunch of those wonderful furs their women make and trade them for enough food to last half the winter; and make a decent profit myself too.

- And what about the other half winter?

- I don't know Clan customs, but I would say that they have the right to a share of what is already stored. - said Masuko.

- If it comes to it, - said Ranec, - they could winter with Lion Camp, I am sure; and now that I think of it, I know of a cave where they could go if they don't want to winter with strange people.

- Is it a safe place? - asked Masuko - Is it not within the territory of another Clan or, even worse, out of flathead country?

- It is out of Clan territory, - admitted Ranec, - and very close but outside Mamutoi hunting territory. For some reason, the Mamutoi never go that way, and it is out of Sungaea territory too. It is perfect for them, - exclaimed Ranec with sudden enthusiasm, - as if the Mother had reserved that place for this people! I know of someone who lived there for three years and never saw anybody.

- Please don't tell me who.

- I won't, - smiled Ranec, - but it is true. The cave might be small but will be enough for them the first winter. Later I can teach them how to build a lodge, mamutoi style. I will talk to Durc about it.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

As soon as the sun began to turn red in the horizon, Broud signaled everyone to gather around the big fire, used in the morning ceremony, to hear what he had to say.

- Now, at last, things are the way they should have always been, - began Broud, - and the Clan has its rightful leader again! It is time to set some other things straight too!

Goov looked at Vorn, and then to the ground; Broud was the same Broud he had always been. He knew what happened in Vorn's mind and had refrained to do anything that might make the temporary leader change his intentions; but now that he was in command again, he was refraining no more.

- The man of the Others, Rec, has brought a living wolf form his excursion of today, said Broud - As grateful as I am for the new weapons, and the magic firestone that he has brought to us, I must ask him to kill that animal for I cannot allow a meat eater to find shelter in our cave.

Everybody agreed with this. They had been surprised to see the wolf puppy carried by the stranger, but remembered that Ayla used to bring wounded animals to the cave too; maybe all the Others acted alike. They also remembered that Brun had drawn the line at meat eaters; Broud's request was fair and understandable.

- That will not be necessary, - answered Ranec, he had practiced his speech in advance and was prepared, - I will leave to my people with my mate in the morning. If the leader thinks that my wolf is unacceptable even for one night, I will leave tonight right after this meeting, and set camp across the river.

- Across the river is far enough, - said Broud, trying to sound reasonable and generous even at refusing Rec the shelter of the cave, - I have no objections to that. Other things must be set straight too. Vorn, who was my friend and second-in-command, betrayed me to make himself leader; as of now he is the second lowest ranked hunter, and Crug, who agreed to be his second-in-command is now the third lowest ranked hunter. Durc, the deformed man who never should have become a hunter, is and will always be the lowest ranked hunter. Starting now, Borg is my new second-in-command.

Now the clan began to feel alarmed, Vorn had had no choice but to become leader, and he had been a good leader; as for Crug, he was without doubt the best hunter of the clan. What was Broud doing? Borg was too inexperienced to be second!

Goov looked at Borg, who proudly positioned himself behind the leader; it was evident that Broud had spoken to him during the day, and the young hunter knew in advance what was going to happen.

- Not only a deformed woman has been taken into this clan, - continued Broud, - but also a woman of the Others who will bring us as much bad luck as the other one we had before. And that is not all; instead of giving the deformed woman as a mate to the deformed man as it had been arranged, she has been given to the son of my mate! Then she has given birth to a deformed son and he has been allowed to live! I made it clear before and I repeat it now; I will not allow any more deformed children in this clan. If the woman Ena, who is now pregnant, or any other woman gives birth to a normal baby, I will accept it. So I don't want anyone to think that I have anything personal against those women or their mates; any deformed baby born to any woman will be rejected.

A sudden rush of motion called everyone's attention to Durc and Ena; with a muted cry, Ena fainted and fell to the ground. Durc turned to help her while Uba rushed to her side. Seeing his mate lying on the ground, barely recovering under Uba's care, and with her eyes beginning to fill with tears; Durc raised to face Broud.

- I will not let you kill the sons of my mate, Broud! - said Durc, surprising the leader since he had never shown before any of the willfulness of his mother, - You are not my leader anymore! As of this moment I am leaving this clan. I will take my mate with me and leave tonight.

- Leave if you wish! - said Broud, - This clan will be better off without you and your ugly mate! And you won't find any clan stupid enough to take you in, you and your mate will die this winter!

- I could leave and let you believe that we died, - said Durc angrily, - but I won't give you that pleasure. I know of a cave, so far away to the north that it will take most of the warm season to get there, where I can live with my mate and with anyone else that wants to follow me. I will take my share of the stored food and I will find the way to get the rest of the meat I need for the winter. With the spear thrower, the same weapon that gave you back your leadership, I will be able to hunt in winter if I need to. And I won't die, Broud, my mate won't die and her children won't die. And you cannot do anything about it.

- How do you dare to defy the leader, you miserable brat! - Reacted Broud red with fury - You will see if I cannot make you die! Goov! Curse him! Curse him and his ugly mate with death! Curse them now!

The clan looked aghast as their leader lost control just as he had, so many years ago over Ayla. They almost expected the earth to start shaking at any moment. But something went different this time.

- No! - The mog-ur was firm.

Broud was astounded; how could Goov refuse to obey? But this was not the newly appointed inexperienced mog-ur of the last time. This was the all-powerful first ranked magician of all clans; this was The Mog-ur. And Broud cowered, as always, before his mysterious powers.

- Durc has left your clan, - said Goov, - and you agreed. You said "leave if you wish"; you have no authority to curse him or his mate now.

- Alright! - Said Broud, even more furious, - But he will take nothing with him! I will not let him take any of this clan's food! He and his ugly mate will starve to death before the winter is over!

- Wrong again, - said Goov; - he has been a hunter of the clan all this summer; he has the right to a share of the stored food according to his rank, which is the lowest. This is very clear according to the most sacred and ancient Clan traditions. Dorn and his young hunters took their fair share of the stored food when they left Norg's Clan. If you transgress this sacred tradition you will raise the anger of the spirits against you and your clan.

Broud was shaking, unable to control himself, but he feared the invisible omnipresent spirits more than anything in the world.

- Take your share of the food, - said Broud, - looking at Durc, you will not be able to survive alone no matter the weapons you use.

- I am going with him! - suddenly announced Brac - Durc, do you accept me in your clan?

- I do, my friend, I was counting on you.

- I am going too, - said Groob, surprising everyone; he had not been included in the conversations of that morning; - Igra is pregnant, she has waited too long to become pregnant and I don't know if this baby will be the only one she ever has. I will not risk the chance of having to kill it if you thing it is deformed, Broud. Durc has been trained for leadership by Vorn and by Brun himself, Brac is going to be the best mog-ur, I am going with them. Durc, do you accept me?

- I accept you, Groob, and I will accept any and every child Igra gives birth to.

Broud was open mouthed unable to believe this was really happening; his clan was disintegrating before his eyes! He was trying to asses the situation when the last blow came.

- Do you accept me, brother?

- I accept you, Grev, - said Durc, feeling more confident with every second, - welcome to our new clan, my milk brother.

- Grev, - cried Broud, - are you crazy? You are the son of my mate! You will be the next leader! Will you abandon your Clan and run away to die with this deformed man? This stupid monster who will lead you all to death in the land of the Others? You are the next leader of the first clan Grev! How can you leave?

- I have trained for leadership along with Durc, Broud, - said Grev, - and I can tell you two things I know for sure; Durc will be the best leader ever known, and you are already the worst. This clan will be last, under your leadership, long before I get to lead. In fact, I don't think this clan will survive that long under your leadership. I am going with Durc!

- No you are not, - shouted Broud, - None of you is! I am not allowing it!

- I am afraid you are wrong once again, Broud, - Goov would have laughed if he knew how, - your permission is not required. Durc has already accepted them, he is their leader now, not you, and every one of them has the right to his fair share of the stored food and of all the other clan's possessions. There is nothing you can do about it, unless you want to face the anger of the spirits.

And as if to confirm the mog-ur's words, a bright lightning crossed the sky and the ray fell on a tree, not too far uphill from the cave, setting it on fire. The thunder shook the guts of the already frightened leader and the heavy rain of the summer thunderstorm broke loose. The meeting disbanded on its own accord and everybody ran into the cave.

While Ranec and the members of Durc's new clan gathered their belongings Broud, frightened to the marrow of his bones, stayed at his hearth refusing to look at what was going on in the cave. Goov determined how much of the stored food was the fair share of the departing hunters and their women collected it. When the small group was ready, they left the cave to find that the short thunderstorm was over and the summer night sky was clear.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Ena walked at a fast pace, despite her heavy load, following her mate and the dark man of the Others who had brought so much change into her life in so short a time. As befitted to her status of medicine woman, she walked in front of the group, only behind the two men leading the march; strangely enough she was not afraid anymore, her mate seemed to know what he was doing and all the other men seemed to trust him. And her baby would live, that was the most important, all her babies would live.

Durc meditated on what had happened since predawn, when Goov came to their camp to perform a ceremony raising Brac to full mog-ur status. He had also brought Oda, who had asked him to let her go with her daughters if one of their mates would have her; Goov had granted her request and Brac had agreed to provide for her. When a woman got old and her mate died, she usually went to live with one of her sons or daughters; Oda, being childless and second woman, would have a hard old age without her daughters. On the other hand, Ebra, who lived at Brac's hearth, had stayed with the clan; she was too old to travel and Goov promised to provide for her in the unlikely event that Broud refused. When the first sunrays fell over the land, they were already gone.

As the day ended and the sun began to dive for the horizon, Durc worried about the days to come; it was a heavy burden for his young age, he was responsible for the life of ten people including his own. But Ranec was optimistic and his other three men were confident; they had a plan, a good one. They were going to Mama's cave, Uky would take all the newest furs to the Others gathering and she would get food in exchange, of course a share of the furs would be hers in payment. Ranec and his mate would spend the winter with the Others, but they would be back in spring to help them, and they would be paid for their help with more furs, watertight baskets, woven grass mats and wooden bowls.

What would they do surrounded by Others, so far away from Clan territory? Would they honor Clan traditions or would they follow the ways of the Others? To Durc, the answer was simple, but he would have to convince the men. They were all Clan, even if Ena was born to the Others and if baby Rec, Ura and himself were, as Ranec said, "mixed"; so they would follow Clan traditions. But they did not belong to the Clan anymore, there would be no Clan Gathering for them to go; they were a new people, part Clan and part Others, so they would adopt some of the ways of the Others when they proved better than the clan ways. And what would the spirits do about it? Would the protective totem spirits desert them if they followed some new foreign ways? That would be a question for Brac to answer, but he was sure that the Others had strong protective spirits as well. Maybe they would be able to seek help from both Clan and Others spirits.

A river appeared ahead, a good place to set camp; Durc signaled a stop for the night. Looking at his people, working at setting up the camp, Durc took a time to really look at every one of them. He had got the very best of Broud's clan; he even had Oda, to help the women with her experience, and he had Ranec. Looking at the dark man of the Others, so full of enthusiasm and high spirits, Durc understood that he had him; Ranec might spend this winter with his original clan, but when he came back next spring, he would never go again. The man of the Others did not know it yet, but Durc was sure.

- He will be a great asset to our new clan, - gestured Brac, suddenly appearing at Durc's side.

How did mog-urs do to always know what a man was thinking?

- Yes he will, - answered Durc, - and so will be Uky.

And turning to face the darkening sky to the north Durc looked ahead the way they were going to travel tomorrow, to Mama's cave, to his own people, to a new life.

**The End.**

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_**MAP:**_

_There is a map for this story but I've found it impossible for me to post a Link to it here._

_A link to the map can be found in my __**Profile**_


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